Katie and Rick
by NancyErin
Summary: Totally AU - Kate is 5 and Rick is 15. Please read A/N
1. Chapter 1

Title: Katie and Ricky

Author: NancyErin

Rated: non

Summary: totally AU – Kate and Rick meet as young children.

A/N: I have a weird imagination. Got struck with that idea and it wouldn't leave me unless I write it down onto paper (typing on computer). Anyway, this is short, but if anybody gets inspired and wants to do a longer version, please feel free to use it, but please (out of courtesy) let me know and share the long version fic with me 'cuz I wanna read =) LOL

Also, I picked a large age difference just well, because…

Off we go...

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><p>"Richard!" Martha Rodgers bellowed from the umpteenth time up the staircase at her fifteen year old son.<p>

His mother was the only person referring to him as _Richard_. Sometimes when she got upset she would even use his whole name _Richard Alexander Rodgers_. If that happened, he knew he was in trouble. To his classmates and friends though, he was only _Rick_.

Martha wondered to herself what was taking him so long to get ready. They were running late as it was, and Martha didn't want the Beckett's to wait out for them for too long.

"Would you care to hurry up, Richard? It's raining cats and dogs outside and with it pouring it's going to be a pain hailing a cab."

"I'm coming already!" Rick barked back.

Martha nonchalantly threw her hands up into the air at the same time rolling her eyes. Ever since he attended that new boarding school, he had changed a lot. It was either that or his teenager hormones kicking right in.

"Not too soon." Martha couldn't help letting out when her son eventually descended the stairs. He let out a groan aware that if he added any further comment, he would be reprimanded like a two year old would. The attentive mother Martha was, she straightened some of her son's disheveled hair and also buttoned up his dress shirt.

"Mother!" he countered pushing her fidgeting fingers off his body. "Can we go now and get over with this?"

It was quite obvious to Martha Rodgers that her son wasn't all too thrilled to join her at the Beckett's dinner, but his recent bad behavior at boarding school, got him punished as tag along to the Beckett's. There was no way Martha Rodgers was letting her son out of sight right now. Despite their tardiness, the two managed to fetch a cab after all, and twenty minutes later they stepped inside the apartment building. Martha and Rick got into the elevator which brought them up to the nineth floor. They made a left twice and buzzed at the door adorning the number _907_.

Johanna Beckett, a tall brunette woman with shoulder length hair greeted the pair with wide open arms, guiding them inside the flat before shutting the door behind them. The two women couldn't contain their excitement any longer. It had been a long time since they had last seen each other.

"Wow, what a tall handsome young man, you got there Martha!" Johanna awed at the teenager with a pout on his lips, making it rather clear to the woman that he disapproved his being here, stuck having dinner among families and not out and about with his friends instead.

"He's growing fast and I'm getting old", Martha threw in with a smile while Johanna took care of their guests' wardrobe.

"Martha, that's so not true! You look amazing, as always."

"So, where is that little girl of yours?" Martha questioned anxiously to get to meet with the little girl she heard so much about. Right on the dot a five year old trotted up right behind her mother, hiding herself away from the two strangers. "Oh my, isn't she adorable!"

"Katie, wouldn't you like to say hello to our guests?" Johanna tried to encourage her daughter. Her only response was a negative shake of her head.

The women laughed softly at the little one's shyness. Soon Jim, Johanna's husband, joined them too. They hugged and greeted for a while before sitting down at the dining table. The adults quickly fell into a comfortable conversation reminiscing their time together before the married couple had to leave for Chicago years ago, until moving back to the big apple again a couple of weeks back. It was nice to be back in the hometown.

Needless to point out that Rick was literally bored out of his mind. The little girl was staring him down and it was little by little starting to get on his nerves. Every time he would look at her, she would instantly hide her face away against her mother's lap or arm. Every once in a while Johanna tried to distract her daughter in order to get her to sit still but nothing would do. At one moment, as the girl gazed back at the boy, he made a funny face which made her snicker. This went on a couple of times in a row until Katie found the courage to walk up to the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Rick" the boy replied with a shrug. He thought the little girl to be cute. With pigtails on either side of her head, which were bobbing up and down every time she would move her head.

"My name's Katherine Beckett, but mommy and daddy call me Katie. Do you wanna see my room?"

At this stage, Richard Castle couldn't care less, so he agreed to visit the little girl's room. Anything that would get him away from this mind-numbing dinner. Unbeknownst to the younger pair, a smile was plastered on the adults faces as they watched the children walk hand in hand out of the dining room.

"You may sit there", Katie welcomed Rick, pointing onto the pink round rug at the food of her bed. "Do you like tea?" Rick shook his head and made a face.

As the young man let his gaze swift across the room, he was rather disappointed. No TV, no video games, nothing. Although _nothing_ wasn't the correct word. The room was exactly like he would imagine a little girl's room to be: pink and purple with teddy bears and dolls scattered all around the place. This was going to be one long evening, he thought to himself. Just in case, he asked the little girl if there happened to be a second TV set somewhere; unfortunately no luck there either.

"What do you wanna play?"

"You're a girl. I don't play with little girls!" Rick retorted.

The girl's lower lip started to quiver at the tone of angry voice, her green eyes boring their way down into the boy's soul. He regretted instantly upsetting her.

"I'm no little girl! I'm five! Daddy said I'm a big girl 'cause I'm going to first grade now! What grade are you in?"

Rick noted how much the three feet was trying to make small conversation. He pondered which was better, a boring conversation about politics with the adults or random talk with a little girl. Sadly he decided to settle with the later. Either way his evening was screwed.

"I'm in tenth"

Kate's jaw almost dropped to the floor. A smile grew on the boy's face at her mimic as he playfully hit her chin.

"Watch out for the bugs."

"Eew! That's gross." she exclaimed slapping the boy's hand out of her face.

"Have you got anything else we can play? And don't tell me tea parties, that's a no go, all right?"

An idea struck her and seconds later the duo was busy completing a one hundred piece puzzle. Though this one was way too easy for the boy, he still preferred keeping himself entertained with a puzzle than nothing at all. Three puzzles later, Rick proclaimed to be tired (annoyed).

"Do you like music?" Kate then wanted to know.

"Yeah, but I fairly doubt we have much in common when it comes to music. I'm not going to dance the hokey pokey with you. I still got a reputation to maintain." The young girl flashed him a quizzical expression, so he added "Never mind! Let's just say that I like my music and you like yours."

"Hmm…" Katie pondered some more, biting her lower lip nervously and in deep thought. "Do you like to paint? I like it… I loooove it, but I don't think mommy would let me use her brushes tonight."

Richard smiled at her adorable pout.

"If you like stories, I could read you one, if you want!" Rick eventually threw in. He could have thought about this earlier. Every little girl loved bedtime stories so he wasn't all too surprised when she giddily exclaimed, bouncing up and down.

"Oh yes! I know which one!" she rushed over to her bookshelf and handed a book out to him mere seconds later.

"_Sleepover Sleuths - Nancy Drew & the Clue Crew_", Rick read out loud the title, sighing inwardly. It was Saturday night and he was at a boring dinner, playing almost babysitter to a five year old little girl. If his friends ever found out, he would be in such a big trouble. But who was going to know anyway? No one! So he decided to give that thought a rest and proceeded to the reading instead. Hopefully the evening was going to go by faster that way.

Kate leaned closer up against Rick, so she could read a few words too. She knew letters ever since the age of two and a half, and for her age she was reasonably ahead of average children her age, but that didn't mean she was up to the same level as Rick was. She knew few lines by heart that she would casually threw in, which made the older boy laugh out loud because every time she would act adequately along with her quote. It was cute in his point of view. Maybe some day she could be an actress, he had told her.

"Nu-huh. I wanna be a detective! Just like Nancy Drew! She's smart and I wanna be just as smart as she is." The little girl had countered his words. "You're almost grown up…." she stated after a long pause. "What you wanna be?"

Or maybe Kate could be a journalist, she was quite the interrogator Richard thought to himself.

"I want to be a writer I think. I like reading…"

"Me too!" Kate cried out loud with a shriek.

"But I also like to write." Richard spoke with a shrug, lost in his own thoughts.

When he eventually returned to reality, he found Kate staring at him, probably waiting for him to move on with the book.

"If you write a book, I'm gonna buy it." At his confused expression, she continued, "I like when you read to me. And you're my friend now and friends stick together. So if you write a book, I have to buy it. Oh, and of course, I will read it too. Promise, cross heart."

"Why… thank you, that's very nice of you." Rick smiled down at the little girl with sparkling green eyes. "And I promise if you ever were to write a book, I'm going to buy yours too." Rick couldn't believe how she managed to wrap him around her little finger. She was quite adorable and the truth was, it was hard to resist her all around cuteness and very charming manner.

"So, shall we?" he eventually pointed back to the book. At the girl's nod he continued.

Half an hour went by until Rick realized that he had been so caught up with the story himself that he barely noticed time flying by. Johanna had her head peeked between the split open door, only to find her daughter fast asleep atop of her bedcovers.

"Oh…" Rick bolted to his feet as if he had been busted with his hand down the cookie jar. "I guess she was tired…" he added, unsure what else to say as he closed the book and put it back into its original spot in the book shelf.

"Don't worry Rick, that's all right. She always falls asleep when we read to her. I hope she didn't bother you too much."

"No… not at all" Rick stuttered nervously, "She's really sweet." He also wanted to add that she had a tendency to occasionally turn into a real tattle tale but deep down inside, he felt Kate Beckett to be a very lovely little girl, well behaved. On the outside he was acting out like any other male teenager, playing it tough, but Martha

Ten minutes later Martha Rodgers and Rick left the Beckett's place with the promise to soon return the favor.

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><p><em>tbc<em>


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Let's just assume that the loft Martha owes is similar to the one Castle owes in the show ;o) Just to make it easier for the visual aspect ;o)

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

_One month later_

While on their ride to the Rodgers, Kate Beckett couldn't contain her excitement. She literally couldn't wait to see Rick again, her new friend. Questions like: "Is he going to be there?" "Do you think he will play with me again?" and many others were fired on end at her parents, who could do nothing else but tell her to be patient and she will see. Johanna and Jim Beckett didn't know whether Rick was going to be there or not. For all they knew, he might just as well be at boarding school that weekend. Kate Beckett had spent a majority of her time asking for Rick to come read her a story. Johanna had had a difficult time to explain to her daughter that it wasn't quite possible. Rick was at boarding school, a concept the little girl got confused with. This entailed another set of endless long questions.

What hurt Johanna Beckett most though was when she inadvertently told her daughter, that Rick might have better things to do than to spend an evening reading stories to a five year old. _But he's my friend_, the younger girl would shout back upset. It broke Johanna's heart but there was nothing else she could do against it.

The cab came to a halt right at the entrance of the building the Rodger's lived in. Kate jumped with two feet onto the pavement thrilled and full of hope to meet her friend again. Johanna tried to fight back the idea what would happen if he weren't around tonight. She would have to deal with it when the situation arose.

In the elevator Kate Beckett nervously grabbed her mother's hand who gave it a soft reassuring squeeze in return.

"I wanna buzz!" she exclaimed giddily when the elevator door's slid open. Rushing past her parents who were having a hard time keeping up with their energetic bundle.

"Okay, but not so fast Katie! Wait for us." Jim managed to get out before she rounded the corner and got out of sight. Both parents sighed and chased behind the running girl. It had been a bad idea to tell her what door to knock at.

The latest flung open right as the Beckett's stepped up behind their daughter revealing an ever so cheery Martha Rodgers welcoming the three inside the loft. Suddenly Kate Beckett turned into the shyly little girl. She seemed to be impressed and rather taken aback at the vast open space in front of her eyes. The expanse room made her feel quite uneasy, at least for as long until she spotted her dear friend trotting down the stairwell.

"Rick!" she exclaimed, leaped off the couch and threw herself right into the teenager boy's legs. "You're here!"

She clung to his legs which made him stop dead in his track. To everyone's surprise, Rick lifted her up into his strong arms so they could hug appropriately. Few feet away Martha Rodgers' heart melted with love at the sight of her son and her best friend's daughter embrace. She knew her son all too well and could feel he had missed her too. He was the one who even asked to be home if the Beckett's were going to have dinner over. Martha though had warned him, that the parents might hire a babysitter for the evening, meaning she might not be around for that night. All things turned out for the better after all.

"Of course I'm here cutie pie. Where else do you want me to be?"

His friends weren't here, so he was free to do and to act which ever way he wanted to. He liked that little girl. Secretly he had always wished for a younger sibling, whether a sister or a brother didn't matter, but he was well aware of his mother's busy schedule. He attended boarding school after all for a reason. It was easier for her instead of hiring a nanny, which he used to have when he was as young as Kate. In some way he envied the little girl. She had a loving mother and father; which didn't mean his mother didn't love him. It was just different. A family… He didn't have a father; at least not one that was present in his life.

Kate shrugged, "Don't know… at the school of yours. Mommy said you sleep there too."

"While I might sleep there too, doesn't mean I sleep at school. It's a separate building next to the actual school building."

The young girl seemed to be pleased with that answer so Rick set her back onto the floor. The two strode over to the couch, where Rick greeted the Beckett's respectfully. While the dinner was still cooking on the stove, Rick and Kate took that time to reconnect.

"What's wrong with you?" Rick wanted to know upon Kate's unusual deadly silence, nudging her side playfully.

She rebuked with a "hey" before shrugging nonchalantly, and then adding, "Your house is big. Mommy said I need to stay put. She doesn't want me wandering around and break stuff that isn't mine."

Rick had to laugh at her words, "Eh, don't worry. My mother is used to that. I use to break something _every_ week! What do you want? I'm a boy, right?" A smile grew on the little girl's face as he sensed her feeling more relaxed after that admission. To make it even better, he said, "You want to come to my room after dinner, if you want? We could watch a movie or play some video games…"

Rick didn't really know why he had said that to a five year old and a girl at that. He might have some of his childhood movies stored somewhere but he clearly didn't have many video games suitable for her age.

Just like the previous time, her jaw dropped and he reminded her of the bugs if she didn't close her mouth right away. She giggle just like a girl would.

"You got your own TV in your bedroom and a computer? Wow!"

"Sure. Mother thinks that by spending money she can make up for lost time." Kate snickered. "What's so funny?" he asked tickling her side which made her laugh delightfully.

"Why you call your mommy, mother? That's weird. Can't you call her mommy too?"

"I'm fifteen. Fifteen year old boys don't call their mother mommy. I could call her mom, but I'm used to mother. It has always been said that way."

Their conversation was interrupted since dinner was ready. Right afterwards the two made a quick beeline up the stairs. Rick found it adorable to watch the little girl stress out about the stairs. She wasn't used to them, Johanna Beckett had informed him and he thus gladly held her hand on the way upstairs as she carefully took one step at a time. Once on the upper level she let go of his hand and bounced excitedly across the hallway and into the teenager's room.

"You've really got a TV!"

"Of course I do, I told you. Do you think I'm a liar?"

"No." she replied shyly. A silence briefly settled in between them "I wanna watch _The Great Mouse Detective._"

"I'm afraid I don't have that movie. It just came out in theater and isn't available on tape quite yet." A pout appeared on Kate Beckett's face. Rick couldn't help thinking how cute she looked with a pulled lip. "But I got the Muppets"

"Oh yeah." Both settled onto his bed once the tape was in the recorder. A couple of clicks later the movie started to display on the TV set. "Mommy won't let me on the bed with my shoes on."

"Then take them off!" the boy told her rolling his eyes overdramatically, sighing "Girls…"

Half way through the movie Rick noted as Kate started to yawn. At the beginning they were some casual yawns until they started to get more frequent. A loving smile appeared on his face when he realized she was struggling to stay awake. It was funny to observe her fight sleepiness, her head unconsciously drifting from his shoulder into her lap as she comfortably settled herself against him. Minutes later the little girl was off into dreamland. One sideways glance to his alarm clock told him it was half past eleven. He remained this way for another while longer before cautiously getting off his bed so he could play some video games. An hour later, Johanna showed up in the doorframe along with Jim. They found their daughter still asleep on Rick's bed.

Neither didn't want to bother the little girl's slumber, so Jim lifted his daughter up into his arms to carry her. At the lower level she briefly woke up and in a semi-sleep called out for "Rick". She didn't want to go home, pretending to want to stay here and sleep over. As much as Martha wouldn't mind having the young girl over, she informed the girl nonetheless that her son would need to head back to boarding school the next day. Kate's entire surroundings swept by in an oblivious haze and half an hour later she was tucked under the warm sheets of her bed.

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><p><em>tbc<em>


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: All right, some people sometimes are upset about boys babysitting little girls. I don't have issues with that at all. The boy I used to babysit when he was little is now 16 and also babysits. He loves it and wants to work in a daycare center later. So this is kinda from his POV.

Also, Rick and Kate have seen each other on occasion over the period of six months (just no babysitting there). This is Rick's first evening _alone_ with her.

Last but not least, sorry for the long wait… been a hell busy as of lately!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

_Half a year later_

Little by little Martha Rodgers and Johanna Beckett got used to the fact to be able to spend more time again, even with their busy timetables. They planned to see each other at least once per month. It had to be organized else way it was almost near impossible. Tonight though Johanna had to cancel due to Jim being out of town and none of her babysitters was available to look after Kate.

Seeing his mother's saddened face, Rick said, "I can watch Katie if you want."

Martha gazed at her son, who was now taller than she was. She was aware her son cared for the little girl, but it still left her baffled that he had actually offered to look after her. He was now sixteen years old and he was allowed to go out on Friday nights with his friends as long as Martha knew where and with whom he was hanging out. He also needed to be back home by midnight and so far he had stuck to those rules without exception. Martha Rodgers was proud of her son. The past half year he seemed to have turned around, grew into a more responsible person. She knew she could trust her son in that matter.

"Don't you have anything more _fun _to do tonight?", she still enquired to be on the safe side.

"Jamie and Damian are out of town, and frankly, I don't want to go to Dylan's party _alone_."

Martha Rodgers was aware of his recent break up with his girlfriend, so she didn't insist. She (Rick's ex-girlfriend) was probably going to attend said party too. One phone call later and everything was settled. Rick showed up at the Beckett's doorstep at seven p.m. sharp.

"Rick! Rick! Rick!" a very energetic little girl threw her arms around his waist.

Without much further ado he lifted her up into his arm.

"Hey, Katie. Is it me or have your grown since we last saw each other?"

She nodded her head. Her hair was longer and braided into two pigtails. Her front teeth were missing and as soon as she smiled, his heart felt up with warmth as a smile also grew on his face.

"Tomorrow's my birthday! I'm gonna be six years old!" she held up six fingers to Rick. "Are you gonna come to my party too?"

"I don't know about that cutie pie" At her pulled lip, he explained, "I got tons of homework to do, you know? I'm at high school now. Besides, all your friends are going to be here. They more likely don't want me around."

"I don't care what they think. I want you to come to my party too. Right mommy? Tell Rick, he can come too!"

Johanna flashed Rick a supportive smile. He was always welcome at their place, any time, but he was a teenager and sure had an agenda on his own.

"Katie! Leave Rick alone, will you? I can understand you wanting him to be here, but as Rick said, all of your friends are going to be here. You are going to do games, play dress up and whatnot. That's clearly nothing a boy of Rick's age is interested in, okay? In the meantime you will have him all by yourself for tonight, all right? Now give mommy a kiss good night and promise to be a nice little girl to Rick?"

Kate obeyed albeit with a protruding lip, while snuggling closer against Rick. Johanna Beckett knew her daughter all too well. She could be quite stubborn, a trait she had inherited from herself. She was a fighter too after all. As soon as her party will have started, she would forget all about Rick.

"Here's my number Rick. Don't hesitate to call me if anything occurs, all right? I can be back within half an hour."

"Okay", Rick stuttered fetching the business card out of her hands. "Thanks Mrs. Beckett."

"I should be the one to thank you, Rick. Please call me Johanna." Johanna Beckett dropped one last kiss onto her daughter's head. In the doorway she stopped and turned on her heals to add, "There's food in the fridge to heat up in the microwave and I expect Katie to be in bed by nine, please."

"Of course. Hear that, nine o'clock?" Rick warned her sending tickles to her midsection.

"Okay mommy. Bye mommy!" Kate sent one kiss her mother's direction before the door slid shut behind the woman.

Suddenly Rick found himself alone with an (almost) six year old. What did he know of little children? Nothing. Then again, Kate wasn't a baby anymore, so it couldn't be that hard to take care of her for two hours. It was seven o'clock and she needed to head the pillow at nine. So two hours to keep the little one entertained.

"So watcha you wanna do, munchkin?"

He finally set her back onto the couch, standing. "I wanna play Candy Land!"

Rick let out a long sigh. Clearly, he hadn't thought this entire babysitting thing the whole way through. He reluctantly gave in, finding it hard to resist the gaze she flashed him. They played twice.

"I won again!" Kate jumped up and down in pure excitement, completely unaware that Rick had actually let her win. They put the game away and moved onto the kitchen for dinner. It was already quarter to eight and both their stomachs had grumbled.

"Yum! Spaghetti!" Kate cheered as Rick set a plate full of them in front of her nose. He also served a plate for himself.

"What's wrong? I thought you were hungry?" He asked after his first bite as she didn't touch her meal.

"It's hot!" she said with scrunched nose. "Mommy always cuts the spaghetti for me."

Rick thus got up, retrieved a knife and fork out of the kitchen drawer in order to cut the little Miss' long spaghetti up.

"Better?" he pondered.

Kate nodded with a smile and dove right into her dinner this time. During the entire dinner she babbled non-stop, telling Rick everything she had to tell him. All the while, poor Rick didn't know anything better to do but nod occasionally or smile in sign that he went along with her tale.

"You're a real chit chatter" Rick scolded half an hour later since she wasn't done yet.

"I'm not! You are!" she threatened playfully with her fork and made a face.

"You've got tomato sauce all over your mouth, and even partially on your t-shirt, and your food is more likely cold."

"It's not!" she shouted pushing another spoonful of spaghetti into her mouth.

It took the little girl another additional ten minutes to finally finish off her dinner. Rick cleared off the table, setting everything into the dishwasher, before chasing her into the bathroom.

"I'm not tired!" moped Kate.

"Maybe, but I want you to put on your jammies already, all right? If you want, I can read you a story after that. And don't forget we also gotta brush your teeth." He reminded her, surprised at himself on the things he actually knew what to do and what to say. He noted how comfortable Kate seemed to be in his presence and truthfully, he came to enjoy babysitting better than he thought he would. Kate was big enough to know how to undress and dress herself up into her sleepwear. The tooth brushing went by smoothly too.

"You have to brush my hair." requested Kate as she walked up next his side on the couch with pink hairbrush in her hands.

"I'm afraid I don't know how to do that."

"You don't brush your hair?"

"I brush mine all right. If you hadn't noticed, I'm not a girl and I got no long braided hair." Rick retorted but Kate Beckett wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"But mommy does it every night before bedtime", the little one countered with a pout.

Rick sighed and gave in. They trotted into her bedroom and sat on the bed. Rick ever so cautiously untied the knots, then unbraided her now wavy shoulder long hair. Once he was done, Kate instructed him to put her hair into a flat pony tail at the back of her neck so it doesn't mess up during her sleep. When the task was completed and seeing the beam on her face, he knew he had done a good job.

"All right. All set. Now you want a story?" Kate let her gaze drift across the filled book shelf. Spotting the one she wanted to have read, she pulled it out and handed it to Rick with a large grin on her face, as he read the title out loud, "_The Children of Noisy Village_ by Astrid Lindgren. You sure are a girl." Rick though spoke with a smile as both settled comfortably into the soft mattress.

With one arm wrapped around her shoulder and her head resting cozily against he chest, he started his reading. He could smell the cherry fragrance of her shampoo in her hair and loved the feeling over her small frame snuggled up against his side. He secretly wished to have a little sister just like her. Maybe a little brother could work too, but for some odd reason he would prefer a sister, somebody he could care for or somebody looking up at him. He was glad to be her friend and deep down inside he knew he wouldn't want to miss her birthday party. He wanted to be there for her, to make her happy and all smiling.

Half way through the book, Rick looked down at her limb body. Her regular breathing told him she was far off into sleep no later than ten past nine. Crawling out of her embrace and out of bed, he dragged the sheets over her shoulders and watched her sleep for awhile. Pulling himself out of his daydream he couldn't keep from placing a soft kiss against her temple, before stepping out of the room again and flicking the light off.

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><p><em>tbc<em>


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Before we start this chapter, I would like to give out a special thank you to those who have taken the time to review! It means a lot to me!

**Chapter 4**

_The next day_

Since Johanna Beckett's husband wasn't in town this weekend, she was more than happy to get any help she could get for her daughter's six birthday party. Both Rick and Martha Rodgers had suggested their help. Besides Johanna knew it would make her little girl's day to have the Rodgers with them; especially Rick.

"Auntie Martha! Rick! You came!" Kate Beckett squealed with utter delight the next day as the pair entered the flat at three o'clock in the afternoon.

A couple of girls – twins - were sitting shyly on one side of the couch, following the entire scene with confusion written all over their faces. Martha patted the girls heads while Rick handed a huge package wrapped up in a pink with decorative princesses all over it to the birthday girl.

"That for me?" Kate could barely contain her excitement and Johanna was struggling to keep her grounded, which made Rick smile inwardly. She was simply too cute for words. The twins gaped at the size of the gift.

"Happy birthday, Katie, cutie pie!"

Rick feared for her beam to never wash off her face ever again.

"Thank you!" Kate said and placed the gift next to the other one - presumable the one from the twin girls, also wrapped in pink - on the couch table. "These are my friends Michelle and Nicole. They look the same 'cause they are twins, but today Michelle's wearing a pink skirt and Nicole the red one." Rick took note of that detail for future reference and smiled down at the blonde haired girls. They looked just like two princesses would right out of a Disyney® book or movie. "This is my friend Rick."

The girls waved a shy hand, and then it was already time to open the door to the next guest; a task Rick gladly took over for Johanna Beckett, who was busy running back and forth the living room and kitchen.

Little by little the small flat filled up until all eight invitees had arrived. The sound volume increased by the minute until it was getting too much so Johanna had to shush the busy talking six and seven year olds so she could explain the rules of the games she had prepared for them.

One hour later it was time for the cake and during the snack time, Kate also opened the presents she had received. She was over the moon and Rick was looking forward to the end of this day. As cute as he thought little girls to be, they could be just as loud as boys, he thought. He was used to silence and no turmoil, but Johanna Beckett reassured him that she was just as glad for birthday parties to only take place once per year and luckily, she only had one child too.

"One day you are going to get married, and you'll have your own kids. Who knows how many birthdays you will have to celebrate then!" Johanna Beckett threw at him teasingly.

Rick sighed and groaned. Maybe he would need to find a woman who didn't want to have children.

"Here's one more sweetie."

Her eyes shot wide open as she had completely forgotten about Rick (and Martha's) gift. In speed light she tore the wrapped paper off the box, as it tumbled onto the pile on the floor, letting out a loud shriek, that could have easily woken the dead.

"My little Pony ®!" Kate Beckett though wasn't the only one baffled by the extraordinary gift Martha Rodgers had spoiled her with. All her friends and Johanna Beckett too.

"Martha, you shouldn't have!" she whispered into the slightly older woman's ear.

Martha merely shrugged, "It's not every day I got to buy a gift for a little girl, and besides, look how happy she is."

Martha Rodgers was an actress and she had the money, Johanna Beckett knew that, but her best friend had just spoiled her little daughter rotten. The woman needed to remind Kate to say her thanks.

"Thank you Martha! Thank you Rick!" Kate lovingly expressed gratitude with a tight hug around each waist.

The party lasted for an additional hour while Johanna planned to keep the girls occupied with something crafty: painting. Some seemed to be rather fascinated by what one could do with a pot of color and a brush. For some it was even the first time they ever got to paint with a brush. The girls remained fairly quiet, which was quite the opposite from when they received the cake, as they carefully listened to what Mrs. Beckett had to say.

At six o'clock in the evening, the first mother rang the door bell to pick up her daughter. Half an hour later the guests had all left, leaving behind quite a mess, an rather organized mess, but still a mess. Martha helped Johanna with the dishes, while Rick gladly took care of the wrapping paper and brought the paper bin to the basement. Upon his return, he found Kate silently playing to herself with _his_ gift on the carpeted floor near the couch table.

"So… how does it feel to be six?" he nudged her playfully.

"Cool!"

Rick chuckled at her use of slang; little Katie was growing up so to speak.

"I take it, six is way better than five, right?"

"Totally!" she added with a large beam, as Rick could only shake his head. As if on cue she added, "Jennifer taught me some great words. She has a big sister. I wish I had a big sister just like her. Sometimes when her parents aren't home and her sister has to watch her, then they listen to very loud music. That's how she learns new words." she paused for a while, lost in deep thought as every so often. Rick waited because he knew there was more to come. "Or maybe not."

"How come?"

"Maybe I'd love a big brother better. Like you. Oh yeah… Can you be my brother?"

Rick laughed, "I'm afraid I can't, but we can be friends. I mean, we are friends, isn't that what you said we were? You have to be blood related to be brother and sister."

She grumped, "Too bad… I would be such a cool sister."

Her words made Rick laugh out loud this time. Kate Beckett sure knew how to keep him entertained, and somehow he could feel that she would indeed be a very cool sister. He already felt like a big brother to her, mostly because of the connection he felt towards her. They were almost acting like brother and sister every time they got to spend time together; or like cousins. Cousins might be the most appropriate word to describe their relationship at best.

"Maybe one day you are going to have a sibling." Rick tried to cheer her up.

Kate shook her head, "No, I don't think so. I once asked mommy and she said no." Then a long sigh followed, "It doesn't matter 'cause I got you now." She got up onto her feet, walked to the couch and hugged him tightly.

"Katie, did you bring your toys into your room?" Johanna wanted to know five minutes later as the two children – well one child and one lazy teenager boy – were sprawled out on the couch.

"Duh! Yeah…" Kate replied in an obvious manner as Rick yet again tried to stifle a laughter, leaving Johanna Beckett to reprimand her six years old. She told her that word was disrespectful and she didn't want her to use it with her mother, or anybody else for that matter.

Kate timidly apologized and after a minute she said, "I'm trying to think of another word that means the same thing, but I can't."

"Well, a _yes mommy_ would suffice." She told Kate who sheepishly stared at the floor. "Here, you forgot the bracelets and the hair bands." She added and handed the items to her daughter.

Kate snatched them out of mother's fingers and with a pulled lip disappeared into her bedroom. Rick had curiously observed their mother – daughter moment and mentally shook his head at the little girl's sulking. When she didn't get her way, she could have her moments. He didn't want to laugh, but every time a smile crossed his face nonetheless.

Upon her return Martha and Rick were throwing coats over their shoulders. Kate instantly ran up to her friend.

"I don't want you to go, Rick. Mommy, I want Rick to stay a little longer, please?"

Grasping her distressed feelings the tall boy got down in his knees to be at the same eye level.

"I have to go Katie. I have other plans. I'm going to meet up with some friends tonight and we're going to go to the movies."

"I wanna go to the movies with you!"

It literally tore Rick's hard to see her devastated, but this time, he wasn't going to let her win.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. It is going to be late. You'll be in bed already and the movie we are going to watch isn't a movie suitable for six years old little girls. Maybe some other time, all right?"

"Promise?"

"I promise, okay?"

Even though Kate seemed to be satisfied with his promise, that didn't mean she felt happier about his departure. It was a promise and Richard Rodgers knew he would have to keep that promise.

_tbc_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Twenty years later_

"Hello, thank you for coming. Whom do I make this book out to?" Richard Castle repeated his mantra more likely for the two hundredth time that day. He wasn't fond of book signings at all, but every once in a while he needed to do that since, one, it was written in his contract with his publisher, and two, it was good to get a connection with the fans. That still didn't change the fact that he would much rather sit at home working on his new novel, instead of spending long hours signing autographs.

"Kate… Kate Beckett" a tall brunette informed the writer.

Richard Castle didn't need to think twice about the familiar name he had just heard. He merely blacked out for a second or two, thinking whether there might be a possibility for two people to carry the same name. When he gazed up to find a pair of spectacular green eyes smiling down at him, he knew right away to whom those belonged to and they belonged to the Kate Beckett he knew.

"Katie?" he bluntly stuttered, just to be on the safe side. If it weren't the Kate Beckett he knew fifteen years ago, he could always apologize for his faux pas. Kate's smile though didn't fade, which was proof enough for him for the tall woman to be no other than Jim and Johanna Beckett's daughter. "Oh my God!" he added as he stood on his feet.

She was indeed tall, despite the high heels, and almost reached his height. Kate Beckett was no longer the cute little ten year old girl but a fully grown woman. He rapidly did the math in his head: twenty-five. She was twenty-five years old and looked gorgeous to his eyes.

"I see you stuck to your promise", he spoke with a wink. At her confused look he added, "When you were six years old, you promised to buy my first published book. You're a little late, but who's counting, right? Come here!" He said opening his arms to welcome her in a proper hug.

"Mind you… I've read all of them, so I definitely stuck to said promise." She informed him gazing straight into his eyes. Her smile grew wider by the second. "Wow… so you're really a writer."

"Yeah", Rick said, his eyes glistening just as much as hers. For some inexplicable reason he couldn't keep his eyes from her. She was beautiful, just like he remembered her, except that now she was a fully grown woman. "Listen, uhm… What do you say we have coffee later, when I'm done here? Catch up on the good times."

"Sure why not! I'd love that"

"Me too"

They stood smiling at each other goofily until Rick's publisher interrupted them with a soft cough, letting him know that it was time to get back to his fans. Rick quickly signed Kate's copy of the book and wrote an address down onto a tiny note sheet, which he placed inside.

"Dinner? Eight o'clock, my place?"

Kate looked down at his scribbled handwriting and merely nodded her head with an everlasting gleam on her face. She felt ecstatic. She couldn't quite believe that after all this time Rick remembered her. He seemed to be as thrilled as she did seeing her. She was anxiously looking forward to tonight.

_Later_

Kate Beckett stood in front of Rick's apartment door. Just a few seconds ago he had buzzed her into the building. She curiously wondered what got her so nervous. It was Rick after all, the guy she had secretly wished to be her big brother when she used to be a little girl. He sort of had been over the span of five years, until their friendship was cut short after her mother had been killed and her father wanted to move back to Chicago where the grandparents could look after Kate when needed. It had been awful to her, because not only was her mother taken away from her, but also Rick and Martha, who were like a second family to her.

Lost in her thoughts she was startled when Rick opened the door to her.

"There you are!" he exclaimed. Noting her facial expression, he quickly added, "Is everything okay?" and let his gaze drift across the hallway hoping nobody had followed her in the dark, scaring her for life. Nobody else but Kate Beckett was standing there, so he welcomed her inside.

"Yeah, I was just… sorry…" she mumbled absent mindedly, before her eyes travelled around his place. "Wow, still living in the upper scale, aren't we?" she mocked him playfully as Rick discarded her coat onto the coat hanger.

"Eh… you know what my thoughts are when it comes to money."

She acquiesced aware that he never put much stock into it. Then again, he had always had the advantage of having it when needed. Richard Rodgers had never treated her any different though. For the split of a second she thought he might have changed over the years, but to her surprise he hadn't. Television and newspapers seemed to portrait Richard Castle more than the real Rick Rodgers Kate Beckett was acquainted with. Sure, many things might have changed over the years but overall he still seemed to be the sweet person from next door, always having a shoulder to lean in.

Rick briefly showed Kate around his place before they sat down at the kitchen counter to have dinner.

"How's your mother?" Kate wanted to know half way through the meal. "By the way this is delicious."

Right then, no other than Martha Rodgers stumbled her way into the loft. Seeing her son having company she stuttered a quick apology.

"Oh, I'm sorry kiddo. Just grabbing this… " she said pulling a bottle of the finest red wines off the shelf and helping herself with a glass along the way in order to make a beeline for the upper floor where she actually resided.

"Mother…" Rick tried to stop her in her haste, "Remember Kate? Kate Beckett?"

Martha gazed from her son, up to tall woman in front of her. Registering the information in speed light, her body almost fainted. With a steady hand Rick held his mother upright.

"Oh my god is that really you, Katie?"

Kate felt just as confused and surprised as Martha did. "Yes, it's me Martha."

Kate was instantly wrapped in a warm welcoming embrace by the person she considered as an aunt. It felt extremely good to see the Rodgers again. Only now did she realize how much she had missed them and how much they truly had meant to her. Both women ended up with tears in their eyes as neither could quite believe their long lost friendship was still very much present. But Richard had only eyes for one person during the entire word exchange and that was Kate Beckett. She was back, and god had he missed her.

_Flashback_

"_I don't wanna go, Rick", sobbed ten year old Kate as she lay next to her best friend; at least Rick was her best friend when it came to male friends. She had, on another side note, plenty of best girl friends at school and at dance school._

_She didn't want to move again. She didn't want to go to another school. She didn't want to have to make new friends all over again. She didn't want to leave her friends behind in New York City. She had lost her mother two months ago, and now her father insisted on moving back to Chicago, meaning Kate would have to leave everything behind her in the big apple - everything. Rick and Martha too. She didn't want to leave them either._

"_I know Katie", twenty year old Rick brushed her rolling tears out of her face._

"_I'm going to miss you sooooo much. Can't I stay here… with you?"_

_Her saddened puppy dog eyes made it even harder for Rick to stay strong since he didn't want her to leave either. She wasn't his sister, she wasn't his cousin… they weren't related at all but he still knew there was a strong connection between them. He knew he was going to miss her just as much as she was going to miss him. He loved her like a sister._

"_What about your dad?"_

_Kate shrugged and didn't seem to care. Rick understood she was still mad at everything that had happened. Her mother's death, and he also knew about the fact that Jim Beckett had started to drink after the loss of his wife. They were all trying to hide it but he wasn't blind, neither was Kate. She was ten years old after all, almost eleven._

"_I'd much rather prefer staying with you guys, please?"_

"_I'm afraid that won't be possible. Come on, it's not like we're never going to see each other again. I'm sure mother won't mind you visiting us on school breaks, huh?" he simply tried to cheer her up, but nothing seemed to be working. She was going to leave the next day. "What do you say I make you your favorite ice-cream with hot chocolate fudge?"_

_He noted the faintest of creek in her pursed lips, got up and pulled Kate's sluggish body up onto her feet. He dragged her down the staircase and into the kitchen. She hoped on top of the kitchen counter, her feet dangling down as she watched him prepare her favorite dish: strawberry ice-cream with hot chocolate fudge and colorful chocolate sprinkles. When he was done he handed the bowl out to her._

_Pushing a spoonful of the cold dish into her mouth, she mumbled a, "Fank you."_

"_You're such a girl", Rick couldn't help teasing while he observed her gulping down her chocolate sticky mess that minutes ago was still an ice-cream._

_Rick rolled his eyes at her girlish demeanor as all of the things seemed to be right again; at least they were for the time being. Truthfully, neither of them was looking forward to the impending separation but both also knew it was inevitable. Tomorrow, this time, she was gone. For now, all they wanted to do was to share their little bit time left together._

_End Flashback_

* * *

><p>AN. Before you are going to ask, no, Alexis won't be part of this story.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: apologies for the long wait, but this story is coming along very slowly… urgh… I keep writing, deleting, writing, deleting… but I promise to finish this story even though it might take a while to get there!

**Chapter 6**

Over dinner the three shared their evening in a relaxed atmosphere recounting the past fifteen years they had spent apart. Martha soon later retreated herself upstairs leaving _the kids_ to themselves claiming they sure had a lot to catch up on, on their own.

"Want some more?" Rick held up the bottle of _Château d'Argadens_.

Kate hesitated for a second or two, "Okay, just one more though" as he filled half of the glass for her.

Together they strode from the kitchen to the sofa where they sat down side by side after Rick had turned on some soft music that soon filled the air. Richard Castle was sitting lip tight next to her. Somehow being left alone with her made him all antsy. Every part of his body was itching. For some odd reason he couldn't stop staring at her. She was beautiful… very beautiful. Her skin glimmered in the lightly lit room, her long brown tresses framed her angelic features just perfectly. He literally stared at her lips as they were taking another sip of the alcoholic drink.

He briefly shook his head to bring himself out of this day dream. This was Kate Beckett, his Katie, his little cutie pie, the little girl he sometimes used to babysit. She was the daughter of his mother's best friend. How on Earth could he possibly think differently of her? How did he dare feeling any kind of attraction to her? He needed to stop it. _Now_.

"What's wrong, Rick?"

Kate caught him like a deer in the spotlight.

"Nothing… I, uh…"

Mentally slamming his head against the wall, he couldn't help feeling ridiculous. This was Kate Beckett for crying out loud. He loved her… like a sister. Like a sister he hadn't seen in fifteen years and he truly had missed her. All he longed to do was hug her real tight and never let go of her ever again. She had been through so much already and she deserved better in life.

"I was just thinking about the time I taught you how to ride your bike. I don't know why it popped into my head… for no apparent reason… I don't know."

"Oh my God! You still remember that?"

"Of course! How could I forget! You'd been driving me crazy for days! You wouldn't give it a rest, so thanks to you _and_ my mother's pleading, I cancelled the date I had set for that morning to teach you how to bike." Beckett's eyes were literally glistening. She wanted to know more.

_Flashback_

"_I don't have the time sweetie. Maybe next weekend, all right. I have a very important case I need to work on…"_

"_But you promised!" Six year old Katie begged on end. She wanted to ride her new bike and nobody cared much to take her to the park. Then again, Kate was just like any other little girl who couldn't wait to use her new toy. She had to be patient… but how could you if the bike stood there waiting to be ridden and instead nobody was giving it a ride. It was so very unfair._

"_I know I did, Katie, and I'm sorry, but this is really really important." Johanna Beckett emphasized hoping her daughter would catch on the sincerity in her tone because she truly felt sorry for not having any spare time recently._

_As so very often Martha suggested her son would help Kate over the weekend. For obvious reasons Richard Rodgers hated his mother's guts for selling him out like that. It was already enough for setting him up on babysitting duty that Friday night. Now he was also stuck with her on Saturday morning._

_It had probably been the longest Friday evening in his life since Kate hadn't stopped talking about her bike the entire time. She was anxiously looking forward to it, and the moment the young girl was nicely tugged in and asleep, a rush of guilt washed over Rick whenever he felt her like a pain. Though understandable, since he was a sixteen year old teenager and she was a six year old girl; almost seven. Their lives and interests couldn't be more opposite. But then, when he checked up on her half an hour after bringing her to bed and reading a story and finding her sound asleep, he came to the realization that he actually liked her, a lot even. No matter what, he found her innocence utterly adorable and her full toothy smile always warmed up his heart._

_So the next day when Rick appeared on her door step, a pouting and thick-skulled with hands on her hips Kate Beckett not-greeted him and instead threw a,_

"_You said nine o'clock! I've been waiting for eight minutes!"_

"_Katie!" Johanna Beckett scolded her way too overly excited child from across the living room._

"_Well, it's great seeing you too!" Rick snarled back at her._

_Johanna Beckett provided Rick with the usual things he needed to know. No hazardless running around and getting out of sight, no crossing the street withholding holding hands, etc. The list was almost endless. He sighed wondering what his mother got himself into again. She was going to pay for that one. Meanwhile Kate was also warned on how to behave with Rick. A smug grin appeared on his face when he noted Kate's pout, who stuck out her tongue at him._

_End Flashback_

"Oh no, did I really do that?"

"You were so stubborn! You wouldn't take no for an answer and you always got your way… or at least, most of the time."

"I'm so sorry…"

Unconsciously Kate Beckett reached across the couch and touched his hands. He almost bolted three feet up at her touch. Getting over the first few seconds, he eventually wrapped his fingers around hers with a soft squeeze and a loving smile. From the look in her eyes he knew she truly felt sorry for torturing him like that.

"What happened next? Or should I say, what did I do _wrong_ next?"

Castled smile up at her. She sure still had that unique glow all around her, and he was sure that she knew quite well how to wrap guys around her little finger.

_Flashback_

"_If you don't stop it, Katie, Rick might not take you to the park! Do you want to ride your bike or not?" _

_Kate pouted folding her arms across her chest in sign of protest, but no longer objected her mother's words. Instead she remained silent and nodded her head. _

_Together they made their way to the park while Rick carried the bike with his left hand and firmly holding a grip tight with the right hand onto the bouncing six year old next to him. Her demeanor and spirit had been lifted ever since they had left the apartment. She rattled on non-stop asking questions about everything and nothing. Couldn't she just keep her mouth shut for five minutes? Rick thought to himself. Of course she couldn't, she was a girl…_

_Once in the park, Rick set the bike, which still had its training wheels, down. Kate hopped on and instantly started paddling away to a point where Rick nearly had to jog behind her. He needed to remind her more than once to slow it down._

"_I wanna feed the ducks!"_

"_What are you? Three?" Rick couldn't help throwing at her. She pulled her lip, Rick felt guilty, and that was it. "Okay, but only one bag, understood?"_

"_Yay!" Kate bounced up and down as Rick went to purchase duck food at the nearest stand. At the pond he observed with delight as she threw bread crumbs to the ducks and swans all happy. Afterwards Rick removed the training wheels off her girly bike. They did several rounds along the paths with Rick holding onto her. _

"_Watch where you're going cutie pie!" he told her when he let go of her bike one hour after their 'training session'. Her ride was still a little wobbly but she managed not to fall. He chased after her, making sure nothing would happen to her and if she did, he hoped to manage catching her on time. "Keep steering straight!"_

_Sadly enough Kate wanted to make a U-turn which made her loose balance and she ended scratching her knee open on the graveled ground. A loud scream erupted as Rick rushed to her side, helping her back onto her feet and onto the nearest available bench, which was only a few feet away. The scratch didn't look all too bad and Rick guessed that her crying came rather more from the surprised fall down then the actual pain on her knee. All it took was an invitation to a chocolate ice-cream and her tears vanished._

_End Flashback_

"Awww… that's so sweet!"

"Sweet? You were anything but sweet. You were a spoiled little brat!"

"I was not!" Kate Beckett countered vehemently.

"Was so!"

Their eyes locked as they laughed out loud, before a long moment of silence grew between the pair as they reminisced their time together. Now with Rick's tale, a few pictures flashed into her head but she still couldn't remember things as well as he did. She though remembered her pink bike, which she had absolutely loved. She had had it for years, even when they moved back to Chicago. She didn't know why her father had kept it because she was too tall for it at the age of ten. If memory didn't do her wrong, it was still standing in the dusty garage somewhere…

"Did you really call me your _cutie pie_?"

Kate Beckett couldn't barely believe Richard Castle would use such a nickname. He was a tall handsome man, and rich by all means. She just couldn't quite grasp that he would call her that way. She noted the blush creeping on his cheeks as he mumbled unintelligible words between gritted teeth. He was so good-looking… His blue eyes sparkled from the flame flicking in the fire place. Kate didn't know what to say next. She was confused. Somehow everything seemed to be falling into place. Their bantering was still there, their love for each other too… so why did it feel weird sitting next to him? Sitting here and thinking about every move she made or word she spoke? Why did it make her feel uneasy. When she gazed at her clock she realized how late it in fact was.

"Wow… that late already! Sorry, but I think I am going to call it a day. I gotta be up early tomorrow, or this morning actually."

Rick got onto his feet along with Kate, and since he didn't know anything better to say or to do, he just went along with her decision. Beside she had said that she had to be up early in the morning. It was a little past midnight. He helped her into her jacket as they made their way to the main door.

"Thanks for having me over. It was really great meeting you again. Please give my thanks to your mother too. And thanks for dinner…"

"No need to thank me. The pleasure's all mine. Thanks for coming over. You're always welcome, you know that…"

They stood awkwardly in the foyer smiling goofily at each other without really knowing how to end this very pleasant evening.

"I should really go" Kate then ushered.

"I should call you a cab, Kate."

"I'm a big girl now, Rick." She spoke with a wink and probably the most beautiful smile he had ever since, which made his heart skip a beat. "I got your number, so I'll give you a call some time, okay? But as you know I got most of my afternoons available, so any time you want works too…"

Richard Castle mirrored her smile before enveloping her in a tight hug. She not only was very beautiful but she also smelled amazingly good. He took a deep breath disentangling himself from their embrace, albeit reluctantly. With one last kiss on each cheek they wished their goodnights. Only when the door shut behind her, did Richard Castle let out the breath he had probably withheld the entire evening.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: You are oh! so lucky that inspiration kicked in right after Chapter 6, so I'll spoil you again, but don't get hopes up too high. As said, more updates will follow but with bigger intervals =) Typos, grammar mistakes are all mine. English is not my mother tongue!

**Chapter 7**

"So, you've been married…" Kate Beckett spoke nervously playing with the red and white checked paper napkin in front of her. They were sitting in the coffee house sipping on a latte macchiato for her, a coffee for himself and a piece of pie for both of them.

"Yep, twice...", he nodded. "Maybe third time will be a charm. You?"

"God, no!" Beckett interjected taking the last bite of her apple pie crumble. "No… I mean, not that I don't want to or anything, but I'm twenty-five, Rick."

"Got any sleazy boyfriend out there I need to protect you from?"

Her cheekbones instantly turned crimson. "No!"

"No, no boyfriend? Or no, no sleazy?"

"Both… I currently don't have any boyfriend", she spoke shyly still staring at the napkin in front of her. "I only moved back here a couple of months ago and as you know I have a lot of work with my new job, so I am busy trying to fit in and everything. I don't have much time for anything else yet right now. I barely make rent so going out and everything, it costs, and…"

"If you need anything, Kate, you know where to find me, right?" he grabbed her hand. This time he was more sure of himself than he was the first time when she had touched his hands two weeks ago.

She was tempted, but instead refused his offer, "Oh, I couldn't do that, Rick."

"Sure you can, Kate! You're like family, I mean, you _are_ family. To my eyes you are, so if there's anything…. _anything_, just let me know. I'm here to help you, all right?"

She faintly nodded her head as another awkward silence settled between them. They both finished their crumble and coffee, ordering another hot drink at the bypassing waitress.

"What about you? Any good looking ladies wrapped around your arm?"

The words had left her mouth faster than she thought them. After all she had been Richard Castle's first fan ever and she still was to this day. She had probably read every single article in the newspaper of him, so naturally she knew one side of the story, but not everything.

"Right now? No, I'm a real bachelor. Sorry…" Rick quickly added, noting his faux pas, "This came out the wrong way… I…I mean no, no girlfriend right now. There's only one girl, sorry, _woman_ I care about right now…." He grinned smugly, leaning back on the red bench, making her blush even further because she knew he was referring to her.

Looking at her he tried to remember the last time he had seen her that flushed. It had been a very long time ago to be true. Maybe around the time where the Becketts were about to move to Chicago. Yes, it was on the evening where she had stayed at his place for sleep over since her father had travelled to Chicago in order to set up their new home.

_Flashback_

_Richard Rodgers walked down the staircase to meet his girlfriend Julie Edwards in the living room. She had already popped the rented movie tape into the VCR ready for their casual Friday night hang out._

"_She asleep?" Julie wanted to know._

_She actually came to like the young girl who was like a sister to her boyfriend, but she also was glad to know her finally upstairs and in bed, giving Rick and herself some time alone. Something they had been waiting for all week long._

"_Yeah, I think so…"_

"_She's ten years old, Rick. Not a baby!" Julie sighed nonetheless since it had taken him almost half an hour to get her to bed._

"_She just lost her mother, Julie, and she's going to move to Chicago soon. How would you feel?" Rick countered obviously hurt at his girlfriend's words._

_She should know by now how much he cared for Kate. Rick understood that Julie knew, except that she couldn't comprehend the depth of it all. It was a lot to ask from a ten year old, leaving school and friends behind. Loosing her mother wasn't enough even though Rick also could understand Jim Beckett's reasoning. They didn't have any other family left in New York City and since he had to work, he needed somebody to take care of Kate during his absence. Hence moving back to Chicago where her paternal grand-parents could look after her seemed to be the best option._

"_You're right. I'm sorry." Julie said, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing him._

_They laid down, relaxing into each other and by the time the movie was half way through the pair was heavily making out on the couch. A squeaking noise made them bolt up and all Rick managed to see was a pair of legs disappearing to the upper level._

"_Hold on to that, all right?" As soon as he had spoken the words, he had jumped off the couch and chased after the young girl. He briefly stopped at her guestroom's door before he knocked. He heard some shuffling on the other side but still tried the doorknob. Peaking his head through the split open door, he found Kate with bed sheets covering her entire body, sobbing. On alert he closed the gap between them and sat on the edge of the bed. "Kate?" he waited but not getting any answer from her he pulled at the sheet, "Hey, sweet pie, talk me!"_

"_Go away! I hate you!" Rick heard her muffled voice out of the pillow. He sighed in defeat unsure what the next best course of action would be. Why was she upset? Because he making out with Julie? Well either way, it didn't make much sense, at least not to Rick's point of view._

"_What's wrong, Kate? Why are you so upset?"_

"_You said you were my best friend! You promised!" she spoke, rolling onto her back as tears kept spilling down her face._

"_I am… you'll always be my best friend, Kate. I love you, no matter how crazy you drive me sometimes."_

"_No, you don't! You like Julie better than me! You were kissing her!"_

_Rick thought about this for a while because obviously kissing Julie wasn't the real problem here. It's not like Kate was expecting him to kiss her the way he had his girlfriend! She was ten years old and from where Rick was standing, Kate hated boys._

"_I really like Julie too, Kate! Both of you… it's just different, you know? That doesn't mean I don't love you any less. When you're older you will understand. Then you'll want to make out with your own boyfriend!"_

"_Eewww, no, Rick. Why would you say that? That's totally gross!" Kate cried out in disgusting, sitting up in bed. She grabbed her pillow and clutched it up against her chest along with her knees. The light of the hallway reflected in her dark green eyes as she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. "Rick?"_

"_Hmm… is it true though?"_

"_What?"_

_Even in the faintest of lights he noticed blush creep on her face, "Well… kissing boys. I mean, Tina, she's in sixth grade, and she says that she and her boyfriend kiss with tongue" Kate shuddered at the thought of it, which made Rick laugh softly. "Really… just gross!"_

"_Katie, you're ten years old"_

"_Ten and half. Almost eleven!" she corrected him pointing her finger at him._

"_Whether you like or not, some day you will… I don't like to think of you frolicking about at your age."_

_The idea alone of Kate having a boyfriend itched him. Too bad he wasn't going to be around to watch out for her. No matter how much she could drive him crazy sometimes, he loved her like a sister and he knew he was going to miss her dearly. It was even going to be awful without her. Who was going to drive him nuts now? Who was going to call him at eight o'clock on Saturday morning when all he wanted to do was to sleep in? Who was going to annoy him to no end rattling on and on about stuff he didn't even care about, and yet would put a smile on his face? Nobody…_

"_Come here!" They shared a long hug. "I love you, sweet pea."_

"_Love you more" Kate held out one of her favorite plus animals (Popples ®) out at him, "Here, for you. You may keep it. That way you will never forget me!"_

"_But…You… I could never forget you, Kate. Never! You may visit us any time." She was heart broken and seeing her so sad made it very hard for him to let go. "Okay… it's really time to sleep now, all right? You're all sleepy." He told her softly as she let out a yawn and helped her back under the covers. He leaned over kissed her forehead and wished her goodnight._

_End of Flashback_

"What's so funny?" Kate shook him out of his thoughts.

He told her what he remembered of that night. "I'm almost certain that I still got that thing lying somewhere. God, I cannot believe that you're actually here. I missed you. I really did." Rick added. "It really took me some time to get used to not having you around. I know mother missed you too. Back then she wouldn't tell me, but she did miss you. You were like the daughter she never had. I know it pained her to know you so far away. And you know what the worst part was?" Kate shook her head in the negative, "That we never got hear from you again. No phone call, no letter… nothing."

"What do you mean, no letter? I wrote you at least a letter per week! I never got any answer! You never wrote me back! I was so mad, torn and devastated!"

Utterly confused Rick replied, "You wrote me letters? I was swear I never got any!"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she couldn't quite believe what had happened. Her father used to take the mail to the post office. There's only one way and only one reason why her letters never reached their destination. Kate knew her father didn't allow her to make phone calls, so the only way for her to stay in touch was to write. She never got any answer and concluded that the Rodgers didn't care much about her in the longer run.

"Kate…" Rick sighed, caught her hand and brought it up to his lips, "I'm so sorry… if I had known…"

"I thought you'd… God, I really hate my dad. I just… I'm so mad right now… I cannot believe he'd do something like that. I know we were running short on money and that I couldn't call you, but this… if I had known… Nanny could have… and nothing of this would have happened!"

Kate eventually let her tears freely roll down her cheekbones. Right now she didn't care much about anything, except her long lost friendship with Rick. He had always been a big brother to her and she had missed him so much. She not only had missed her mother, but also Rick and Martha.

Ever since her mother had passed away, her life had turned into living hell. Moving to Chicago, getting pulled away from the only two people who actually cared for her, going to a new school, getting bullied, and the cherry on top of the cake was her drinking father. She only found some peace and quiet every time she stayed at her grandmother's – at least for as long as her grandfather wasn't around. All the way along _Nanny_ was the one keeping her strong and giving her faith. Half a year later she also passed away, soon followed by _Grandpa_. Whatever money Jim Beckett managed to get out of legacy, he had turned it into money, which in turn was traded for alcoholic drinks. By the time Kate was sixteen she got away and moved in with a friend's family who gladly took her in. On and off she had tried to get help for her father, but he always got back to drinking… there was no end in sight to this day.

"You were just a little girl, Kate. How could you know? You're here, I'm here… and if you give me one of those loving smiles I have missed all these years you will make me a very happy man!" Rick spoke in his usual playful and teasing way.

Kate couldn't fight the smile forcing at the corner of her lips. He smiled back, simply because he was happy to have her back in his life. Right now, nothing else mattered anymore. Instinctively he knew that everything was going to be all right and that everything would fall back into place. And to know, to be reassured, that she had written him letters for almost a year before _giving up_… was just… He didn't have any words for it. He wanted to hug her, he wanted to take the pain that was nestled in both her eyes and heart away from her. He wished nothing of this had happened. He wished he had a time capsule just so he could turn back time. He wanted to cradle her up against his chest like he used to do when she was a little girl, bumping her knee or head, kissing the pain away. Sadly, the wound she had now was harder to heal than with a simply kiss to the injured body part. At least, now he was there, she was no longer on her own. She had somebody whom she could trust and confide in. He promised himself then and there, to always watch out for her.

"Thank you", Kate whispered.

"Always, Kate."

PS. Rick didn't have Kate's address before she moved to Chicago – just in case you are wondering because obviously, he would have written her! ;o)


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This sure isn't the best chapter I have written (far from it) but if anybody has some ideas to fill in blanks (I'm almost done with the end) but I still need to squeeze in several chapters after this one and before the real "getting-to-know-each-other" chapters.**

**But I am still hopeful you will be liking this one, otherwise, my apologies for a lousy update.**

**Nice weekend to everyone!**

**Typos and grammar mistakes are all mine! My English sucks ;o)**

**Chapter 8**

"Hey!"

"Hey!" Rick had opened the door to his loft revealing a broadly smiling Kate in front of him. He welcomed her into a short embrace, exchanged a few words with Martha before they headed arm in arm into the dark of night for a evening out at the movie theater.

"So how's work going for you?" Rick opened up a new conversation as they strolled down the pavement.

"Good, really good. Thank you for asking. I just got one kid who is a real troublemaker. The others are all pretty much sweethearts. They each have their moments but what kid doesn't? My co-workers are easy to get long with too, so I am actually really satisfied with my first job. Everything is kind of exciting and new. I'm sorry again that we couldn't do this earlier. I've just been swarmed with work. I guess that working as in a nusery is harder than I thought it would, or at least, what people believe it to be. It is quite time consuming, but I love it."

Richard Castle literally felt the exuberance seeping through her every being. It felt good to know that she was happy with her new job, as he was aware how worried she had been prior to her application. After her college degree she needed to go through a specific training session to become a certified educator. Kate had always been a fighter and when she set out a goal, she would use her willpower to achieve said goal. Nothing was going to stop her.

"Please", Rick held the door open to her to let her in first. She thanked him with a smile. At the cashier he needed to insist that he gladly wanted to pay her ticket. They also bought some popcorn and soda before making their way to their seats. All the while Rick fought the haunting images of a radiant smiling Kate Beckett. She was like a magnet and his eyes wouldn't give him any rest. They kept landing on her smile, her face, her eyes, her legs… pretty much any part of her body. She sure was a fully grown woman now. Beautiful and elegant too. Tonight she wasn't wearing her usual dress wear which mainly consisted of a pair of jeans and either a body-shaped shirt or a loose fashionable blouse on top. No, tonight she was wearing a not so casual dress with high heels. Even her hair was pulled up into a very stylish quite loose bun at the back of her head, with a few brown wavy curls framing either side of her face.

After their movie Rick wanted to take her out for a drink, but Kate claimed to be exhausted. He then offered to escort her home.

"Do you want to come up? I know I said I'm tired, but I think I have a bottle of red wine somewhere. It might not meet up to your standard, but…"

"Sure." Rick accepted her invitation.

"That way you will also know where I live." Kate added with an eye wink as she leaded the way into the basement hallway, to the elevators where they exited on the fifth floor. Apartment 503 was hers.

"Wow… nice…" Rick awed at the decoration, "It's so… _you_."

"Well, thanks…" He briefly flinched as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the kitchen, then bedroom and bathroom before they ended in the living room again. The grin on his face never faded as he was suddenly thrown back fifteen years in time to a very bouncy eleven year old girl. "It's small but… It's mine, so yay…"

"I like it. As said, it's totally your style."

"So? Red wine?" Rick nodded his head, followed her into the kitchen where she handed him the bottle along with a corkscrew and two glasses. Serving both of them with a drink, they sat down onto her couch for some small talk. As very often Rick ended up telling her a story from their childhood years.

_Flashback_

"_Thank you so much, Rick!" said Johanna Beckett, as she and Jim stood in the door pane with her husband urging her since they were running late for the concert._

"_No problem, Mrs. Beckett, I mean… Johanna. The pleasure's all mine!" Twenty year old Rick smiled at the tall brunette without knowing he would regret those words later on._

"_And no movie before she has cleaned the mess in her room. She knows it. I've told her so endless times."_

"_Will do!" Rick said, wished the Becketts a nice evening and closed the door behind them. He sighed, shaking his head. He was going to be in some trouble with the young lady. It was not going to be fun, however, things still depended on her mood._

_Rick went to the kitchen to check what was for dinner and found some home-made lasagna dish. He noted the fridge had been recently filled with grocery so there was more than enough food they could pick from. He called out for Kate. Not receiving any answer he went to the back to find her bedroom door closed_._ Rick sighed again, knocked on the door before he peaked his head inside._

_He found her lying on her bed class in a pair of pink cotton short and a yellow tank top, eyes closed and music filling her ears through her walkman. He somehow managed his way from the doorway to her bed and sat down on the edge._

"_Hey!" he greeted_

_Ten year old Kate opened her eyes, smiled broadly, "Rick!"_

_She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a long wet smooch against his cheek._

"_What happened here?" Rick spoke in a soft tone, letting his gaze swift around the upside down room._

_The closet's doors stood wide open, more than half of her clothes were scattered all across the floor, along with numerous books, tapes, teddybears, barbies and anything else that used to be on the shelves. Last but not least he also noted that part of her school books and other school items were amongst the pile. What had happened again? But all he got was a pout and a shrug from Kate._

"_Sweet pie. You can tell me anything and I wish you were telling me what happened?"_

_Rick understood Kate's perfectionism feelings probably better than anybody else. And every once in a while, as of lately, if things didn't go her way, the surge to rave and rant invaded her body._

_Kate let out a long groan, "I can't get my math homework done correctly. It's too difficult!"_

"_What do you need to do?" Rick casually asked her, aware that right now what mattered more was her homework and not the messed up bedroom. He knew how to keep his calm._

"_To Subtract any 3-digit number from any whole thousand. I hate subtractions!"_

"_Well, I'll help you. Come on, where's your exercise book?"_

_Kate pointed to the pile on their right side. He picked up the book, rummaged around some more to find a pen, a pencil and an eraser, ready to get started on that homework._

_All throughout Kate was really having a hard time with her math exercises, but Rick patiently sat by and explained her over and over again. Each row needed to be repeated at least five times before she got it. Forty-five minutes later they were done with her math homework, but Rick was sure that Kate was still as confused as before. It was late now, and they hadn't even had dinner yet._

"_So, what do you say, I go get dinner ready, you start up cleaning this mess and once I'm done I'll come back and help you?"_

_Kate nodded her head. He stood in the hallway and watched as she busied herself slowly around her room. He could tell her to do it faster, but then it would only result in more pestering, so he thought it wiser to leave her be. At least she was getting herself moved. When he returned, she was sitting on the floor folding her clothes._

"_Rick, you know what would be really cool?"_

"_Nope", he replied lifting a few books off the ground and putting them back onto their original spot, or so he thought._

"_Nooooooooo!" Kate was on her feet right away. "You're putting them the wrong way! They go from big to small… it's important they are this way!"_

"_All right, already! Sorry!" He duly noted her words, "So what would be really cool?"_

"_Oh… if we could snap our fingers just like in the movie Mary Poppins. That way we never would have to clean up a room that is cluttered ever again! Don't ya think?"_

"_Maybe, but would that help teaching you a lesson? I don't think so," Rick couldn't help interjecting._

_Kate groaned and countered, "It's not my fault!"_

"_I know. And I'm sorry for picking the wrong words. What I mean is… that you have to learn that not everything is going your way. Or that there are things out there that take longer to be understood. I understand you want to be the best, but it's also okay if you aren't sweet pie!"_

"_But dad doesn't like it when I do mistakes! He yells at me if I do!"_

_Rick was surprised at her words. Her father? Yelling at her? That was quite a picture he couldn't imagine. His gaze drifted across the room. When Kate noted him look at her she avoided his eyes. This was the first time he found her recoil; something he had never seen on her. Where was the joyful little princess he once used to know? Lately things seemed to change around them and he didn't know what it was. For the split of a second he pondered whether to push her on the subject or on, when she suddenly exclaimed to be all done and set. A broad smile was plastered all across her face so he blamed it on his overactive imagination again._

_If only he knew…_

_End Flashback_

"I should have said something, Kate. Or I should have done something or told my mother. Or, I don't know. I could literally feel you drift away from me at times. And at other times you were still the innocent little girl jumping right up into my arms every time we met. I was worried… what had happened?"

Kate shook her head as she was thrown herself fifteen years back in time.

"My parents were fighting. Constantly… I don't know why, but it was with no end. I know my mother got upset with my father every time he said things about me. Like school work you just mentioned. Dad wanted my grades to be better, but Mom yelled back to leave me alone and that my grades were good enough. You know… that kind of stuff. Nowadays I guess that it wasn't the only problem they seemed to have had in their relationship, but what do I know? Mum passed away, and Dad and I haven't been on good terms ever since… I… I missed those old times with you and Martha… you have no idea…"

The truth was that Richard Castle as always understood her better than anybody else on this planet. He scooted closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. To his surprise she leaned in against his chest just like she used to do when she was younger and needed comfort. And just like back in the days his embrace had her soothed and drifted off into sleep ten minutes later. Rick waited in the hope she would wake up again while finishing off his glass of red wine, but when she didn't he lifted her carefully off his chest and onto the couch. With a cushion propping her head up like a pillow would and a blanket draped across her body she was ready for a good night's sleep.

In the kitchen he found a notepad, where he scribbled down a few words for her to find in the morning before he wished her sweet dreams with a kiss to her forehead.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Busy RL and vacation kept me away from writing! You had been warned at the beginning that it will take me a while to get this story down onto paper! =) Thanks for being patient, and again, this story won't be left unfinished! *promised*

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Richard Castle was downtown in Soho where he had to meet up with his publisher for a book signing. He had promised picking Kate up from work later that day once her day ended. At six thirty sharp he strode over the threshold of the day care center where a multitude of his senses were heightened right away. A mix of freshly used paint and recently baked cookies filled his nostrils. Laughter, crying and chattering of children reached his ears as his gaze swift around the place in search for an adult.

"May I help you?" A black woman exited what seemed to be an office room and locked the door behind her. By the look on his face, he must have looked lost and confused.

"Yes, please. I'm here to pick up Kate… I mean Miss Kate Beckett…" Rick quickly added to make sure he wasn't there to kidnap some little girl whose name happened to be Kate.

"Hi, I'm Rhonda. Pleased to meet you. Just give me one minute and I'll lead you to her room."

From the smile on the petite woman's face Richard Castle concluded that Kate must have mentioned him in one of her conversation. He stood in the foyer and waited patiently for Rhonda to return as a handful of parents entered the center, leaving it again shortly afterwards with kid or kids in tow. He lovingly smiled down at a little girl who didn't look older than four and who had bumped into him by surprise. She literally stared at the tall man's blue piercing eyes before turning on her heels and running away.

Shortly afterwards, Rhonda guided him to the second floor and pointed to the far end of the hallway.

"Just straight on. Don't forget to look out for the kids when opening and closing the door."

Castle flashed her a warm hearted smile and a thank you. As he approached the glass door his curiosity got the better out of him as he stopped without entering the room. He gazed at the display in front of him. One provider and four babies filled the room, but Kate was nowhere in sight. As he waited some more, she finally appeared from an adjoined room balancing a wailing infant in her arms, trying to soothe it while conversing with the other provider, before bending down and also bring attention to a younger toddler, who was showing Kate something from a book.

With mesmerize Rick watched Kate comply in her task. She must have felt his presence, which wasn't all too difficult since it was a glass door, as she eventually looked up. A smile grew on her face as she waved him inside. He carefully slipped into the room mindful of Rhonda's words. He remained awkwardly standing at the entrance.

"Hi!" Kate greeted him with that gorgeous smile of hers, "Lilly, this is Rick…" she introduced one another as they shook hands.

"Wow, so you're _Richard Castle_?" Lilly awed with a slight blush on her cheekbones, "So you're real… I mean… really Kate's friend. And here I kept teasing her about it."

"Oh trust me, I'm very much real… and yes, we've been friends like forever…"

Rick spoke with a charming smile purposefully not mentioning their time spent apart from each other. Unless Kate had told Lilly about her long time lost friend but he fairly doubted it since she had only recently started on the job.

"Are you going to be okay with Alyssa?" Kate asked dropping the wailing baby into Lilly's awaiting arms, but Lilly only nodded her head.

"Of course, don't worry. Devon and Matt's parents should be here soon anyway. Oh, look! There they are! So I'm down to three, just go ahead and have fun! See you tomorrow."

Kate was already busy wrapping her coat around her shoulders and picking up her purse on their way out. She said her goodbye to Lilly and closed the door of the room behind her. Once outside the building she let out a long sigh and took a deep breath of the fresh air waving right in.

"Alyssa's our little new one. She is still very fussy and doesn't really understand her new surroundings quite yet. I managed to get her to sleep this afternoon on and off, but she kept waking up and wailed every time on end."

"How old is she? She looks really small!" Castle wanted to know as they walked down the pavement down the few blocks to the restaurant he had chosen for them to eat out.

"Four months. She's our youngest for now. She's really precious…", Kate's eyes were literally glistening as she kept going with her tale. Apparently also looking after such a young infant for real was also new to Kate, as she proclaimed that it had been awhile since she last had held such a tiny baby in her arms.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, Castle knew pretty much every child who was in her unit. From Alyssa, four months, to Jayden eighteen months. Even though he wasn't all too much interested in it, he still couldn't help being all ears for her, while they checked the menu and placed their order.

Half way through the meal Kate mentioned a new friend; Tom. They had met at a recent friend's place and they seemed to have hit it off right away. Words kept sputtering out of her mouth and excitement was written all across her face. Needless to point out that Richard Castle felt protective and needed to asked her about this new acquaintance. She answered all of them, her smile never fading. Rick tried to ignore the pain he felt in his chest. Why did it bother him anyway? She seemed happy and all he wanted was for her to be happy.

"Are you all right, Rick? You haven't said a word the entire meal!"

"Hum? Oh… no, I was only listening to you…" Rick replied with a shrug.

"How was your book signing today?"

"Oh good… it went really _really_ good!" He briefly paused and continued, "Who's that Tom guy? When do I get to meet him?"

Castle fought to keep up his façade in an effort to sound casual. Kate blushed up at his words.

"Oh, he's just… a guy. He's really nice and… well, cute, but… I don't know…"

"Ask him out!" Rick challenged her while mentally slapping himself. Why on heaven's earth couldn't he keep his mouth shut? Kate shook his words off, "Just ask the guy out for coffee or something…"

Rick saw as her imagination was running wild. She seemingly felt an attraction for the guy. He couldn't blame her for being normal. It's not like they were a couple. She was his best friend and he was there for her whenever she needed him. He always would be because she was very dear to his heart.

"Okay… maybe I will." She finally concluded with a beam.

Rick forced a supportive smile to his lips.

For the remainder of their evening they continued their conversation around books they were reading and the project of visiting a photo gallery that upcoming weekend. Before they knew it, they were standing outside Kate's apartment door. Rick was used to bring her safely back home.

"Did you want to come in some more, or…?"

"No… I mean, I would like to, but I know you have to get up early to go to work tomorrow. The advantage of being a writer is that you are free to set up your own working schedule." Rick reminded her with an eye wink. "So thanks, but I'll take a rain check on that one…"

Kate mirrored his smile, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck for a hug and placed a kiss onto his cheek. Goosebumps rushed through every inch of his body at that simple gesture. His eyes also briefly drifted shut as he took in her sweet scent of cherries. His entire being and mind were busy ignoring and fighting against the feelings rising within him. Kate remained quite oblivious to what she was actually causing him with her innocent touches and kisses. Add to this her smile, laughter and all-round inner beauty and Rick was a goner. He would climb the highest mountain there was if it were for her. Over the past weeks he had found himself staring at her more often than usual. He would be lying to himself if he were to say not feeling attracted to her. But this was Kate… his little Katie… his sweet pie. He wasn't allowed to have feelings for her at all; at least not the kind he was actually feeling for her. He was little by little falling in love with her. And here she was, standing in front of him, ready to have a possible cup of coffee with that Tom guy, who – by the way – would be silly to decline such an offer. How could anyone with good judgment refuse having a drink with a beautiful woman as Kate Beckett.

"Okay, I'll see you Saturday, two p.m. at the Gallery then. And thanks for dinner, again. Next time will be my treat."

Rick Castle was in no mood to counter her right now. He was well aware that he would never let her pay for his dinner. He wanted to be the man in charge. Plus he wanted her to save her money for something else. She needed it more than he did.

"Night, Kate…"

"Good night, Rick." She unlocked her door, dropped a wet kiss to his cheeks, went inside and closed it shut behind her.

_tbc_

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><p>AN: Hides from flying tomatoes.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you to all of those who took extra time to review! You know they are always welcome! They mean a lot to me! That way I know what my readers like and don't like, so keep them coming!

PS. Imagine the scene from the episode and you will get the visual LOL. Please, don't hit me!

Typos, grammar errors and whatnot are all mine 'cuz my English sucks and I'm tired!

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Saturday

From far away in the distance, Rick Castle saw them waiting for him: Kate and Tom. _He_ said something, she laughed. She said something, _he_ sent her a smile. Rick felt his stomach churn inside. He was finally going to meet the guy who was making googly eyes with Kate. _He_ was tall, handsome and good looking. Despite this, Rick hated his guts. He couldn't help himself, but seeing Kate happy and smiling, he was willing to give Tom the benefit of a doubt. After all Kate seemed to be happy and she sure wasn't the kind of person faking these kind of things.

Their guided tour around the gallery took around two hours to complete and afterward the trio went for a drink. Rick took that opportunity to get to know Tom a little bit better. All in all the guy seemed like a nice man just like Kate had told him, but that still didn't change Rick's point of view. Rick also learned that Tom knew about his and Kate's past.

An hour later, Tom spoke his farewell since he had night shift that day. Kate accompanied him to the exit of the café house, and through the large French doors, he watched as Tom's hand softly landed on Kate's hips to pull her somewhat close. And when she leaned into his touch, their lips met in a faintest of kisses. As they parted, Kate smiled innocently up at him, biting her lower lip. Tom whispered something into her ear and then he was gone. With flushed face she met up with Rick again in the café.

Repressing his inner feelings he flashed her a supportive smile, "You really like him, don't you?"

Kate nodded pensive, "Yeah, I think I do… I mean, I do… I mean, it's all new, so, we'll see…"

"Well for what it's worth, he seems like a nice guy and he really seems to like you too, so… that's a good thing." Rick said in an effort to ease the tension.

Kate was very much aware of the over protective brother role Rick had taken over again. She didn't mind at all… It actually made her feel good to know that there was somebody out there caring about her, caring about her happiness and well-being. On more than just one occasion she even had to slow down his questioning and had to shush him down with one of her long deadly glares. He could be quite over protective, but she knew he cared and looked out for her, so she kept the glares down to a minimum.

Four months later

"Rick? What's going on?" Kate wanted to know as they were clearing away the dishes that night at his place. Still to this very hour Rick had no clue what had gotten in his mind to invite them over for dinner. And now Tom was even making small talk with his mother. This was all _just great_! He hated the guy. He seemed to be a nice man, kind, affectionate and respectful. Kate was happy. Why couldn't he just feel the same for her?

"Nothing…" he rebuked offended and in the mere effort to avoid the subject. He wasn't in the mood anyway and didn't want to start a fight with her.

"Oh, come on, Rick! I know something's off…"

Rick placed the frying pan inside the cupboard, before turning his attention back at her.

"Please, Kate. I'm sorry… it's nothing, really. I don't want you to worry, all right?" he spoke in a calm and controlled voice. He really didn't want to worry or upset her, just because he felt something eerie about this guy she obviously had feelings for.

Kate let out a long sigh of resignation. She wanted to counter his words, but she could read in his begging eyes to let it go. So she did, but not after flashing him another quizzical glare. With two bowls of ice-cream she strode over to the couch and handed one out to Tom who gave her a thankful smile before diving right into the cold dish.

Rick couldn't help thinking about how much he longed for Kate to smile up at him instead of _him_. He loved when she smiled at him but those smiles usually had a different meaning. They were playful, innocent… He wanted Kate to make googly eyes at him.

"Richard? Is everything all right?"

Martha shook her son out of his reverie. Some of the ice-cream in the other two bowls – meant for himself and Martha - had halfway melted by now.

He blinked once or twice as his gaze met his mother's, "Yes, of course" he forced a smile, "Why wouldn't I be?" and handed one of the bowls out to her.

Martha shook her head at her son's dismissive response as she watched him walk up to the two lovebirds sitting on the couch. She was aware that it was useless insisting when he wasn't ready for a talk. He would eventually come around and hopefully let her in on what seemed to be bothering him as of lately. She figured it had something to do with Kate's new boyfriend but wasn't really sure whether her presumptions were right or not. One thing she was sure of, was that her son had always been very protective of Kate and on more than one occasion had she noted the glares her son was giving at the new man in Kate's life. Tom was a very handsome young man and seemed genuinely interested in the young woman. Maybe her son needed to cut him some slack.

Two weeks later

"Please, can we go watch it?" Kate begged him for the umpteenth time that Saturday afternoon.

"I am not going to go and watch some sort of chick flick with you, okay!" Rick retorted stowing the last item into the dishwasher. He fetched a cube of soap out, tossed it in and hit the START button on the machine, sending it instantly roaring away.

"Oh, come on! It's Saturday night. Tom has night shift, Lilly has no sitter so she's stuck at home, and Martha isn't there either to keep me some company." she pouted with a pulled lip and a puppy dog facial expression.

To spice it up some more, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him so she could whisper imploring pleads into his ear. In spite of her age she still remembered how to wrap him around her finger and tonight she would use any plausible method that would get her best friend to the movies with her. She wasn't going to take no for an answer. Besides, Rick was much more a movie person than Tom was, meaning she would have to at least wait an entire week before seeing the movie with Lilly. She wanted to see it now, tonight!

"Please, Rick, please!" she pleaded like a four year old.

When the faintest of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth she didn't regret her childish behavior at all. It had worked and that's what mattered most to her right this moment.

"That's going to cost you big time, Kate!" he though warned her as she pulled him out of the loft.

He barely managed to grab coat and keys before the door slammed shut behind them.

Unfortunately after the movie it was raining cats and dogs so that they had to literally run along the pavement since Rick lived only two blocks from the theater. Hollering a cab for such a short distance was utterly useless with the pouring rain. Most taxi cabs were busy anyway. Soaked through to the bone they finally made it inside of his building. They gave a short nod head to the doorman before riding the elevator to his floor.

In the loft their heart-full laughter slowly subsided as they were busy getting rid of their wet clothing. Rick briefly disappeared into his adjoined bathroom and tossed a towel across the room which Kate used to dry her hair.

"Let me get you a shirt", Rick spoke and handed her a plain light blue t-shirt. "Right… Sorry…" he apologized and guided her to his bathroom so she could change.

Kate took off her soaked blouse and bra, and pulled his shirt over her head. Still clad in a pair of wet jeans, not reading much into it, Kate also removed her pants. His shirt was going down to her mid-thigh after all.

When Kate stepped out of the study, Rick's jaw almost hit the floor at the view in front of him across the room. He quickly regained his composure again as he welcomed her to sit down on the couch and wrapped a blanket around her legs. He took her wet clothes from her to throw them into the dryer.

"Not… my bra.. I mean… I…" she stuttered, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.

Rick pulled the lacy item out of the pile, handed it back to Kate. On his way to the laundry room, he kept trying to get the picture of a very naked Kate beneath his shirt out of his head. He was never going to be able to wear that shirt ever again. It was Kate, his little Katie, his little cutie pie… His friend. His mind was not meant to go such places.

Back in the living room he prepared both of them a cup of vanilla flavored tea which he set onto the coffee table in front of them.

"Better?"

"Yes, very… thank you!" Kate whispered after a sip of the warm liquid had somewhat started to warm up her cold body. The blanket was already working its magic, and with the fire not bursting in the chimney it was only a matter of minutes until her body temperature would come back to normal.

"And thanks for the movie. I hope you liked it anyway."

Rick smiled down at her, "Always."

Truthfully, it wasn't going to be the movie of the year, but it hadn't been bad either. He survived. Besides, any time alone he could get with Kate was worth every minute. While Kate relished into the warmth gradually seeping through her body again, Rick found himself mesmerized by her beauty. Since he was sitting next to her, he had a good glance at her profile. The straight long bridge of her nose, the long closed eye lashes as they slowly fluttered open after a deep breath intake of the vanilla scented drink, the graciously shaped pink lips he fought not to kiss.

Diverting his eyes to some place else, but not sure where to, he suddenly felt the need to fill the silence.

"So… when was your first kiss?"

Her head turned and her green eyes glistened up.

He literally failed at making small talk with her now. Why did he have to sound like a dumbass every time? Though the kiss subject could easily be referred to the movie, it didn't change the fact that he had been so blunt about it.

"I tell you mine, if you tell me yours first", she challenged.

Rick was game for it. With a smug smile he replied, "Twelve. I think her name was Melanie, in the lockers' room."

"Twelve?" Kate exclaimed in utter disbelieve.

Rick merely shrugged, "I've always been precocious. You?"

Her cheeks turned crimson again, though Rick wasn't sure whether it was due to the question or to the heat spreading through the room from open fire.

"Fifteen and I didn't like it." she admitted with a scrunched nose. "He forced himself onto me, so I slapped and kicked him where needed!"

Rick couldn't help the chuckle leaving his throat. "Ah… that's my Kate."

For the split of a second she was again the bratty little tomboyish girl who knew how to stand up. A picture of a pouting and sulking five year old stomping her feet filled his brain. She sure used to be a handful when she was little. And by the looks of it she still knew how to take matters into her own hands when needed.

"Well, for what it's worth, he never tried to kiss me again. I gave him a fair warning but he just wouldn't listen."

"So, when was your _real_ first kiss then?"

"About a year later. It had totally grossed me out, so it took me a while to get over the initial shock."

Rick smiled lovingly down at her when their eyes locked. A silence settled between the pair as they savored their moment together, sipping tea and well,... doing nothing else. It was comfortable for both of them to enjoy each other's company. It felt good and it felt right. Exactly how Kate wanted her Saturday night to be. Her eyes were closed while her head unconsciously hit Rick's left shoulder. He didn't say a word and instead placed his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to him. Neither was aware of the time that passed until a yawn slipped from her.

"You're welcome to sleep over, you know." Rick told her as she got back to her feet, folding the blanket neatly together before setting it onto the edge of the couch.

Truth was, she was always welcome but also, Rick didn't want her wandering around New York City all by herself at this godly hour. She thanked him and without much further ado she had made a beeline for the guestroom upstairs.

_tbc_


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I love it when inspiration kicks in over night… We'll see how long this will last. Maybe (or hopefully) another chapter tomorrow… but not promising anything. I also tried to listen to one reviewer to get sort of like a Kate's POV. Happy? =) Hope I got that right too! And thanks again for reading, and most of all, reviewing!

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Three weeks later

"Thank you so much!" Kate sighed when Rick finally appeared on the door step.

One hour ago she had called upon him to come to her rescue. She was set up for babysitting tonight and she didn't want to spend yet another Saturday night all by herself. Since Rick was having a hard time ignoring her, he gladly agreed to help her. She though didn't need his help per say when it came to the sitting part, but rather more to the company part. It would make her feel less lonely, besides his mother was out of town for the weekend and none of his friends were up for a Poker night; so he needed the company just as much as she did.

"So, who's this little munchkin?" Rick wanted to know from Kate, who was busy balancing a fifteen months old on her hip.

"This is Kaley. Say hi to Rick, Kaley."

Kate cooed softly at the blond haired girl, trying to get her to wave her tiny hand at Rick. Kaley though didn't care much about the new arrival in the house, and instead turned her head the other side, longing to be set down again. With wobbly legs she held onto the couch as if her life depended on it.

The pair watched with bemusement as Kaley ignored them completely. She let go of the couch, making her softly land onto her bottoms, before getting on all fours and crawling right across the room and into the kitchen. As if the girl knew how to read the clock, she got back onto her feet and claimed for her milk bottle with a pointing finger.

Kate smiled, "No, not yet sweetie. First we're going to take a bath." She picked the girl back up from the floor and walking past Rick, she handed him the menu of the nearest pizza delivery, "I'll take the ham and mushroom pizza, please. Thanks…"

Since Rick was left alone in Lilly's living room, he quickly gave a glance across the menu before ordering the two pizzas for them to eat later on. Not knowing what to do, he went in search for the pair upstairs. All he needed to do was to follow the sound of their conversation to find the bathroom.

"Hey, everything all right? Do you need any help at all?" Rick wondered, but found out that Kate had everything under control. Her job was to take care of eight children every day after all. She thus easily knew how to handle only _one_ child. His intensions offering his help were purely respectful.

Kaley was sitting in the bath tub with a few toys swimming all around her as she kept making gurgling sounds and talking gibberish every now and then. Her smile was contagious leading the two adults to smile goofily down at her in return. Five minutes later Kate lifted the girl out of the soapy water and wrapped a towel tightly around her as to not get cold. In a matter of few minutes Kaley was clad in a diaper and footy pajama.

"Momma!" Kaley exclaimed holding out her favorite toy at Kate.

Kate smiled tenderly, gave the girl a kiss to her head before combing the blond tresses with a soft baby comb. Drying blowing the girl's hair was another story as she started screaming bloody murder at the noisy object. It wasn't the first time Kate was looking after Kaley so she knew how to handle the situation. It didn't take long either for the few curls to be dry, but she still needed to comfort her for a little while until the big rolling tears subsided.

"Would you… just for two seconds?"

But Kaley was already in Rick's arms. Like a couple they were working and thinking in sync as so very often.

While Kate cleaned the used bathroom, Rick made his way to the basement right on time as the door bell went off announcing the delivery of their pizzas. He handed a twenty dollar note out to the teenager who thanked him for keeping the change. Rick was amazed at how calm Kaley reacted to the complete stranger carrying her around the house. He placed her into the high chair so he could set the pizzas into the over to keep them warm until dinner time. First they had to handle a very hungry young lady.

Right on the dot, Kate appeared in the kitchen and prepared a small slice of bread with cheese for Kaley before warming up the milk in the microwave. Next the threesome settled on the couch with Kaley cozily nestled against Kate's chest, sucking fervently on her bottle.

Kate felt Rick's eyes on her. It gave her goose bumps having him sit next to her and following every move she made.

"What is it?" she asked carefully not wanting to sound too harsh. It was driving her crazy little by little.

"Nothing… it's just… You know your way around pretty much with Kaley."

"It's my job" she retorted in the hope to cease his long glares. She still tried to keep her tone low.

"I know… I was just saying… I…"

Kate noted his stuttering and she couldn't help from thinking that he had been doing that a lot recently. He seemed to be different as of lately. She could feel it, and she could see it in his eyes. Rick didn't like her current boyfriend, that she knew. He was constantly on his guard of every movement _he_ made around her. He hadn't told her his point of view directly, but from his miscellaneous talks he had had with her, she concluded that he didn't approve of Tom at all. Why, she didn't know. He would just have to deal with it. Then again, things weren't running quite as smooth as she had hoped they would. As of lately Tom was taking more night shifts or was hanging out with his buddies more frequently instead of with her. She had no idea what she had done wrong and she knew they would eventually have to talk about it. She dreaded the conversation but alas it was inevitable.

As if her relationship problems with Tom weren't enough, Rick was acting eerie around her too now. It wasn't only tonight that she could feel his eyes on her all the time. It was driving her nuts sensing him get all nervous around her, but she didn't dare bringing up the subject with him either just to quit it. Somehow she liked the tingles rising in her body every time he would look straight into her eyes. Even the most innocent touches like holding hands, brushing her arm against his while walking past him or a kiss goodnight was sending an electric current from head to toe to her. What was going on with her? She didn't know.

When her eyes swayed from the girl in her arms onto her best friend she felt it again, that electricity shooting all the way through her body. His sparkling blue eyes were literally transfixed on her, but the moment her eyes met his, he gazed away from her, which only increased her nervousness.

Kate took a deep breath and focused her attention back at the feeding child in her arms. Kaley's blue eyes started drifting shut. She was halfway asleep and forced herself to drink all of her milk. She was almost done when sleep eventually overcame. Her right hand rested against the little one's now full belly. Her regular breathing made her chest rise and fall. A sleeping child always gave her a certain inner peace, but with Rick's trained eyes on her again, she felt anything but peace. Thus she carefully lifted Kaley up to put her down into her crib in her room.

"Sleeping?" Rick beamed up at her. He knew fully well Kaley had drifted off to sleep during her feeding. He was trying to make conversation with Kate. Subtle he was not.

Kate smiled, "Like a log… Pizza? I'm starving…"

Rick nodded as they both made a beeline for the kitchen.

_tbc_


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Wasn't this story supposed to be a short one? Eh… whatever ;o) I'm sure you don't mind! I wish I'd receive more reviews so that I really know who actually reads this…

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Kate retrieved two plates, forks and knives as well as two glasses out of the cupboard before setting them onto the table. Rick had been kind of grabbing two sodas out of the fridge too. Quiet grew among them as they munched on their pizza face to face.

"What?" Kate eventually exclaimed at the ever growing grin on Rick's face.

"You got tomato sauce on your chin…" he told her, mirroring the smudge on his own chin as she dabbed her paper napkin on the spot he was pointing out to her.

She couldn't refrain from smiling in return, "Better?"

His smile grew even brighter, "All set."

God, she hated his smile! All of a sudden her heart was beating a thousand times faster and a certain warmth was shooting all the way through her bones. This was exactly what she had been thinking about before. Why did a smile from her best friend make her so nervous out of the blue? It was beyond her. Those new emotions kept coming back to surface over and over again for the past three weeks. She was pretty sure that some day they were going to drive her berserk. Rick was Rick, her best friend… Rick was the big brother she always wanted to have, and yet… it seemed to her like she was suddenly having feelings for him she wasn't supposed to have. She had a boyfriend. His name was Tom. And Rick was… she didn't know. It was like a mantra, it was haunting her… even in her dreams things became much more vivid. _This was so wrong on so many levels…_

Rick couldn't tear his eyes from the beauty in front of him. She looked adorable, even with a red stain on her purple shirt. That dazzling smile and those gorgeous eyes could never fail on him. He loved her company, he loved listening to her endless rambling, he loved when she grabbed his arm, he loved when she hugged and planted the faintest of thankful kisses onto his cheek, he loved her smiles, he loved her laughter fill the house, he loved everything about Kate Beckett. But at the same time he also hated all of it. It was forbidden territory… Kate wasn't in love with him. She was in love with Tom. In love? Where did that come from?

Weighing the pros and cons in his head. She was twenty-five years old, going onto twenty-six. He just turned thirty-six. She was like a sister to him, just as he was like a brother to her. They weren't related though; they weren't cousins. He was a writer, famous, rich… any woman out there would be happy to be his girlfriend, but would that mean he would be just as happy? No, he wouldn't… He could get any woman he wanted, except the one he actually couldn't get... And she was sitting right in front of him, diving with her spoon right into her favorite dish: strawberry ice-cream with hot chocolate fudge topped with colorful sprinkles. He still knew it was her favorite and if Kate knew what he was thinking right now she would probably hit him.

A picture of an eleven year old girl popped into his head. It was their last night spent together almost fifteen years ago. Sitting on his kitchen counter, her feet dangling and bumping up against the cupboard door beneath the counter. He had just served her with the most sweat treat there could be. Her long brown tresses were partially in the way, framing her face, but she didn't care at all. Some strands ended up on her spoon, making it all sticky to comb back out of her mouth. Rick was observing her with bemusement and could do nothing but roll his eyes at her foolishness. She was an eleven year old crazy girl. What else could he possibly expect from her? But he loved her anyway… and the next day she was going to be out of his life… until fate brought her back into his life again.

Ever since that day, his life had been pulled upside down again, that much he knew! That's the way it had been the first time, and the second time was no different. What if she were to leave again? Was his heart ever going to overcome that loss again? He was crazy about her… he knew it. His heart knew it, but his head was telling him something else. It wasn't right… and yet the same warmth fired through his body every time their eyes locked. But there was another man in her life now, besides he was way too chicken to admit his feelings to her. Afraid of what her reaction might be. Afraid of loosing the only woman he had ever truly loved. She meant the world to him, and if she was happy… he was too, because somehow this was all he needed to survive.

A loud wail disrupted the peaceful silence as both adults instinctively jumped to their feet. Kate was the first to enter the nursery and instantly lifted a very heavy sobbing Kaley up into her arms. She tried to soothe the little girl as good as she could while she kept crying out for her mother.

"Shh… everything's okay." Kate kept pacing up and down for the next five minutes, insisting Kaley to place her head against her chest. Another five minutes later the nightmare seemed to blur away as the crying softened into light sobs. Rick handed Kate the bunny she had request out of the crib and placed it next to the girl who clutched the item under her arms.

"She's so warm…" Kate whispered into the dark of the room, "But I don't think it's fever… Is she sleeping?"

Rick tilted his head and shook it in the negative. Kate thus settled the semi-sleeping girl onto the changing table for a new pajama. In a manner for a minute Kaley's head hit the pillow again. Once in the hallway they let out a long sigh of relief they had been withholding all this time.

"It gets to you, doesn't it?" Kate challenged him.

"I'm pretty sure I just survived my very first heart attack. I'm thirty-six! I'm not ready to die quite yet!" Rick joked to get rid of the extra tension in his limbs.

Kate emitted a sweet giggle, "I am most certain you won't die tonight, Rick."

"That close!" He said, showing her a one inch distance between thumb and forefinger.

Kate overdramatically rolled her eyes and went downstairs again. She heard Rick's footsteps behind her until they finally sat down onto the couch. She flicked on the TV set and flipped through the channels for the next five minutes, driving Rick crazy, who nervously fetched the remote out of her hands at some point.

"Hey!" Kate protested and launched herself across the couch, but Rick held it out of reach for her.

"You're no longer allowed to touch the remote for the night!" he reprimanded, which only spurted her on.

"I wanna see what's on TV!"

"How? You went through one hundred channels three times in a matter of what? A little over five minutes! That's insane. My eyes hurt!"

"Give me the remote!" Kate ordered but Rick chose to ignore her. She straddled him as she tried to get a hold of the item. Rick knew how to play her and she hated it. "Give me the remote. Now!"

"Oh, yeah… like that's gonna work!" Rick gleamed smugly and instead tickled her sides in the mere hope to get her off his lap, while all he could think about, was how ridiculous their bantering must be to any outsider. They were fighting over a remote control like siblings would… or like two flirtatious teenagers. He was fighting, she was giggling and squealing.

He had barely finished that trail of thoughts when he managed to grab her by her hips and pushed her (as gently as possible) away from him. Albeit light for her size, her weight still caught him off guard and made him topple forward so that he landed on top of her. Her fast warm breath floated across his face as a myriad of feelings rushed through his body. His face so close to hers, her sparkling green eyes shining up into his. Her luscious lips so wet and rosy he longed to kiss them without shame.

Kate felt Rick's entire body crushing hers. For some kind of reason he didn't give any signs to move from the spot he found himself in all of a sudden. She gazed up at him and found him just as breathless as she was. Her eyes locked with his and for the split of a second she thought he was going to kiss her, but then he suddenly pulled away and sat up straight on the couch again.

"I… I'm sorry… I… here…" Rick said and gave the remote control back.

Kate took it and wondered what was going on. Did it really look like he wanted to kiss her just now or was her mind playing a trick on her? She must be mistaken… Rick would never pound himself on her like that. What if he had kissed her? Oh my God! She wanted him to kiss her… Kate was at loss of words as a heat wave cursed through her body. She was pretty sure her face to be beet red by now.

They settled down again and after another long while Kate croaked out a soft thank you at Rick, as well as an apology.

"Thank you, but what for?" Rick asked incredulously.

"Being here, with me, tonight, in my life, for existing, for putting up with me. Or for pretty much everything I could thank you for."

His eyes briefly diverted onto their intertwined hands until a soft smile displayed on his face, "This goes both ways, Kate."

And all the things were fine again between them.

_tbc_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"That's it, Kate! I'm coming over!"

Within half an hour, Richard Castle had managed to grab a shower and drive to Kate's place. He found her sobbing against his chest the moment the door had opened to him. A certain chill went down his spine as he felt her lean into him despite her earlier resistance for him to even stop by. She was devastated and he knew there was only one person to blame, and that person was Tom. He hated that guy! Right from the beginning, but since Kate seemed to like Tom, he had given him the benefit of a doubt. But now he was just a total jerk.

With her head cradled against his neck, he felt her warm breat tickling against his skin as she cried tears to get rid of her anger and disappointment. They had been together five months. She had been happy and smiling all this time, and now he was the one who needed to pick up the broken pieces. If ever Tom crossed path with Rick, he was going to be in for something.

"Kate?" He spoke softly against her temple fifteen minutes later as they sat on her couch, her body cozily resting against his. Trying to get her attention, he combed a few wet tresses out of her face so he could have a good look at her. Even with tear streamed face she looked beautiful. "Why don't you tell me what happened? This might make you feel better if you let everything out into the open, huh?" he tried to encourage her but she merely shook her head.

"I can't… I mean, I don't want to. I just… it's too personal, okay?"

Her pleading eyes were doing it for him. Rick couldn't ignore those beautiful eyes of hers, "Okay."

They sat together for a long while. The flat was engulfed in complete silence. Merely the timer on the microwave disrupted their coziness. Kate got off the couch, walked across the living room and into the kitchenette where she turned off the alarm. She opened the left upper cupboard to the microwave where she fetched out a tablet and gulped her pill down with a glass of water. As she was standing there she suddenly remembered her guest.

"I'm sorry, would you like something to drink?" she asked from across the room. Rick got up and joined her in the kitchen. "Are you hungry? I could make us something, or we could order in if you prefer…"

Rick noted that Kate was avoiding the subject as she started busying herself around the kitchen. He simply couldn't let go, no matter how much he tried. He wanted her to tell him what happened so he could help her. It wasn't good to keep those things to herself. So he called out for her again.

"Kate?"

She gazed up into his eyes, but didn't say a word. It made him itchy so he quickly changed subject, "Let's just order in… We could watch a movie together. What's that movie again you wanted to see all this time?"

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed holding to menus in her hands, "Italian or Chinese?"

They quickly ordered something from _Wong Foo's_ and while Rick waited for the delivery guy, Kate decided to run for a quick shower. By the time their food arrived, she was all showered and freshened up from a long day at work, and Rick had set up a table so they could eat. The movie _Before Sunset _was already in the player too.

Throughout the entire movie the couple had made itself comfortable on the couch. First Kate had sat next to Rick who had his arm wrapped around her shoulder, next she was snuggled up against the cushions with her feet propped up in his lap and by the end of the movie her head had replaced her feet in his lap. As the movie ended, Rick hit the stop button on the remote control, turning off the player, and the TV instantly switched to a random channel instead. Kate rolled onto her back, gazing up at Rick.

She thought about the movie. She thought about her friendship with Rick. She loved him, she really did. He was always there for her, minus the fifteen years they had spent apart. Rick was the big brother she always wanted to have, but never had. At least that's what she thought. Recently she had noted something different in their relationship. She was aware Rick never approved of her relationship with Tom, but she also knew he did it for her. _Tom_… Tears welled in her eyes for the second time that night. _Why…?_

"Kate?"

She didn't know whether her new turmoil was due to the movie they just watched with made her feel melancholic or something else. She didn't want to cry and yet tears kept spilling down her cheeks. She lifted her upper body off his lap to sit up straight, wiping the wet drops with the back of her hands out of her face.

"Okay… all right… but only because you're my best friend! You have to promise me not to laugh or to judge me, all right?"

Rick was confused. Why would he? What would make her think that he would have to laugh at whatever she had to say? He was intrigued, wanted to know why, however all he managed was a head not and a cross heart. Whatever it was, it had to be important.

"The reason Tom broke up with me is, because… because…", she nervously stumbled over her words unable to finish what she wanted to say. It was too difficult saying the words out loud. Too difficult because she was going to confess something to Rick that was very personal, too difficult because she was too afraid of what his reaction was going to be, what he would think of her… She usually didn't care about what other people might think of her. She wouldn't let other people's opinion cloud her self-esteem; except for this one. It was her major flaw, at least that's the way she saw it even though she felt somehow proud about it.

"Hey… it's me…" Rick encouraged with those deep blue puppy dog eyes of his. Kate knew she could trust him, so why was it so hard to just say it?

Her impulse was to ramble off millions of excuses before finally confiding timidly, "I haven't crossed the last line yet…"

"You mean _sex_?" Rick nonchalantly exclaimed without doing on purpose.

"Shhhh!" she shushed him.

He couldn't help the affectionate smile that was slowly growing on his face, "It's not like somebody can hear us, Kate?" Seeing her so distraught he quickly apologized on a softer tone, "Sorry… just keep going… I'm listening…"

"We were together and we were… actually just talking. I told him and he started laughing."

Rick was left flabbergasted, "Laughing?"

"Yes, and I know he didn't mean it in a funny or sweet way, whatever that means, you know what I mean, right? He was sitting at the kitchen table, nearly choked on his soda and literally burst out laughing... and saying things I rather not repeat out loud. They were mean words, below the waist line. I knew men can be pigs, but that was just…"

"Very immature!" Rick exclaimed completely outraged. How could anybody ever…? And with his Kate? He knew it right from the beginning! That guy was trouble and he was right. Next time he was going to use all his resources for a full background check on whatever new guy Kate was going to date!

Seeing Kate so defeated, even if it had to be over a guy like Tom, broke Rick's heart.

"I don't know what I'd expected, but surely not this! What's wrong with waiting for the right guy? What is it with you men and sex? Why does everything always evolve around it?"

"It's part of our lives, Kate, and nothing's wrong with it."

"Exactly! It's _part_… the keyword being _part_ of our lives. It's not our whole life!"

"No it's not…"

"I mean, it's not like I want to wait till marriage… it's just… the right guy, Rick. Is that too much asked for? I don't think so! I'm not searching for excuses or anything, I'm just saying… Like I said before, I had a lot going on in my life before, and I just… My attention was focused somewhere else like getting my High School diploma, going through college, and getting through my training so that I can have a decent job. Plus, I had to look after dad too, so… "

"Kate, you don't need to justify yourself to me." Rick interrupted taking her fidgeting hands into his. "I think it is very sweet for you to… to wait… Any guy should feel flattered if he were the chosen one. And Tom definitely doesn't deserve to be _that guy_. He doesn't even deserve the _boyfriend_ title. You know I didn't appreciate him from the beginning, didn't you?"

Kate was aware of that fact and nodded her head.

"I don't expect my life to be a true love story, but… you know, I'm not giving up hope."

"Well, that's the spirit, Kate. The right guy is out there… somewhere. I'm sure."

"Promise?"

Oh that look! He hated to love it.

"Always" Rick welcomed her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "I'm jealous, you know?"

"Of what?" Kate mumbled against his shirt.

"That guy… that special someone… he's going to have the best woman there is out there. He's going to be one lucky guy."

"Don't say that!"

"But it's true! Beautiful, charming, gracious, smart, devoted, loving smile, gorgeous eyes, amazing body… hey I'm still a guy!" he threw in jokingly. Kate laughed. "What is there not to like?"

Unconsciously his left hand went for a lost strand of hair that he pulled slightly backwards to move it out of her face. Their eyes met and remained locked for what seemed like an eternity as time stood still around them. Her sweet laugh that had recently filled the air had sent the entire room in complete silence. His innocent touch rose goose bumps all across her spine.

Kate caught the hand as his thumb dried off a single tear hanging close to her nose, and before either one of them was registering what was actually happening, her lips caressed softly against his. It was tender and affectionate, and her lips hadn't just brushed across his lips. They had lingered just a little while longer making it loud and clear to either of them that she had officially kissed him.

"I'm so sorry… God I'm so sorry…I don't know why… I just… I…" she fretfully rambled along words that didn't make much sense to Rick. Had she just kissed him? Why? And what was it supposed to mean? Was it meant to mean something or was it just a kiss, like in a thank-you-kiss? No… if it were, the kiss would have been short, wouldn't it?

"It's okay, Kate." Rick halted her thoughts, "It was just a kiss." He was trying to come up with a decent reason of why she had kissed him, but truthfully he had no clue why she had.

_tbc_

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><p>AN: All this time I sat there and was thinking about who was going to initiate it. What if Rick did? What if Kate did? oh boy! Soooo many options and directions I could take it to. They could fight. They could ignore each other, hate each other,… it was really tricky picking the right one I tell ya! Oh, and about Kate … don't ask me… don't know why I wrote it, but it's too late now… can't change it… =) Hope you still like it anyway. Feel free to ask questions if anything isn't clear or whatever... You got your kiss... now, please review! Thx! You'd make me VERY happy!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Kate?" Rick was still flabbergasted by what just happened there.

Kate had kissed him. The more he thought it over, the more he realized that it wasn't just an innocent kiss. She had indeed fully kissed him. Her confused and lost expression told him how uncomfortable she was feeling this very moment.

So he did the only thing he could do, and which would show her what she needed to know. He grabbed the back of her head and pulled it cautiously up to his so that his lips could brush tenderly against hers again. A chill went through both of their bodies at the same time. A sweet moan escaped from her mouth when she felt him pulling her body closer to his for a smoldering kiss, deepening carefully. She wanted to fight against it, but she was unable to do so.

Rick was kissing Kate.

Kate was kissing Rick.

A spark burst around them, pulling them deeper and deeper into their embrace until it left them panting for air. Foreheads rested against one another as they tried to regulate their breathing again.

When Rick opened his eyes to look at Kate, he found her eyes still shut. An adorable blush had risen to her cheeks bones which made him want to kiss her all over again. He wanted to… so badly. But he also knew that they needed to talk.

"Kate?" he whispered her name.

"Hmm?"

A smile adorned his face right away. He was a good kisser, but still… leaving her that speechless was even too much for him to handle.

Taking courage in both of his hands, he finally admitted, "Uhm… I think we need to talk."

Her eyes fluttered open. Kate sure had the most piercing green eyes he had ever seen in his life. He was instantly enthralled by her beauty and caught in the moment that it took him a while to come back out of his haze.

"We kissed", she hushed in a very low tone, still in disbelieve and amazed at once. Her words made her cheeks take over an even darker shade of red. Rick needed to control every inch of his body not to take her right then and there.

"Yeah, we kissed." He agreed for now.

"What's it supposed to mean?" She asked, hope written all across her face. "I mean,… you know…?"

Rick nervously gulped a couple of times while thinking of the next best course of action, "Well… obviously, uhm you kissed me, and then I kissed you back. So, the real question would be, is this something you and I want?"

Neither dared making the first step for a while, until Rick caught both of her hands into his. The tingling feeling alone of her delicate skin resting in his, made him almost loose his mind. He wanted her, he knew that much, but he needed to find a way to let her know without scaring her, just in case she wasn't feeling the same way about him.

"For what it's worth, Kate, I'm crazy about you. I have been for a while and I no longer want to hide. I would understand if you don't feel the same, because I wouldn't want to loose our friendship all over again. I would have to find a way to deal with it. And I will. It won't be easy, but I would still like to be part of your life. I…"

"I also want to be part of your life, Rick. I…" Her eyes went from his face to his hands still holding hers, "I… I kissed you first, I'm confused… I just broke it off with Tom, and I… I mean, it's been over for a while now… I was just trying to… I don't know…"

Rick's response was to pull her into a tight embrace letting her know that he was going to be there for her, always and for as long as she needed him.

"I really liked him, Rick."

As much as it pained him to hear those words, he knew her feelings had been true for the man.

"I know… and I'm so sorry…"

Kate scoffed teasingly against his shirt, "Yeah, right… you got me now, so, his loss, right?"

With her arms still wrapped around the small of his back, she lightly arched back to gaze up into his captivating blue eyes, a smug smile on his face. He knew she was teasing him.

"So, I got you now?"

"You know, you're a very bad liar." Rick feigned ignorance, "You've been giving me looks for months. Subtle you are not!"

"Oh! You knew!" He threatened her playfully.

"Of course I knew! You're so…. obvious!"

"Am not!" She flashed him a sideways stern glance, "All right… whatever. So yeah, I got you now, and his loss! He was a jerk. I hated him… I just… couldn't… I tried, Kate, I really did… but…"

"I know…" Was all she said because they didn't need words to tell each other how they were feeling. "But thank you, anyway… for having my back…"

"Always have and always will, Kate."

They shared a very long hug, standing smack in the middle of her living room. Neither was in the mood to bust the cozy bubble they found themselves in. At some point Kate initiated the first move, loosening her grip around his waist. As Rick gazed dreamingly down at her, he was yet again overwhelmed by the feelings he felt for her, and so he kissed her. They timidly explored each other's mouth, sending wave after wave down their spine. The sensation was amazing to both of them. When they eventually broke apart, a silence settled between them for a couple of minutes.

"Rick?" She was nervous again, but she was so beautiful to his eyes, "About… what I said before…" she stuttered uneasily, "I mean… you know… I think that deep down inside I have known now too that you were the right guy… I… so… you don't have a problem with that, now do you?"

Rick was in awe and that was reason enough for him to fall even harder for her.

"I love you, Kate. I could never… God, of course not! You're amazing. Come here…"

He planted a loving kiss against the top of her head as she wrapped her arms around him once more. Her head ended up against his chest as they savored their embrace. Though Kate didn't return his words, he knew exactly what her feelings were for him. When the time was right, she would let him know…

_tbc_

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><p>AN: I haven't written the next chapter yet… so you will have to be a little bit patient. You have all been so wonderful reviewing Chapter 13, so that I no longer wanted to keep this one from you as a THANK YOU! And thanks thus in advance for being patient… I will try to get the next one down as fast as possible… I have a busy life the next couple of days/week. :o(


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Before you start reading, please let me say that there's an M-rated part of this chapter. I cut out the 'naughty' part in order to keep this available for my non-smut readers. Also, reason why this chapter is shorter… sorry. Still giving it a PG-13 though to be on the safe side…

Last but not least, somehow I got writer's block when it came to HOW to start this chapter, so we jump right into it…

If you want the dirty part, please check it out here:  s/8325611/1/Waiting_for_you

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Two days later (his loft)

"Rick?" Kate hummed up against hips as Rick's hand brushed up beneath her blouse and against the smooth skin of her taunt stomach. He stopped his hand and rested his forehead up against hers, trying to get back to his senses, regain control of the situation that was little by little growing out of hand. But he wanted her so much. He wanted to kiss every inch of her delicious sweet skin. Her lips and throat were no longer enough for him as his desire for her grew bigger. She was so beautiful and simply breath-taking. He needed her probably more than he ever wanted any woman before. She had been back in his life for almost a year now, and they've been playing this back and forth on end.

"Hmm..." was the only sound he mastered still lost in his haze.

"Rick"

Her voice was firmer this time. He opened his eyes and found her amazing green pair gazing into his blue. He noted her stare flicking between his eyes, hesitation written all across her face before she nervously bit down on her lips. Guilt washed over him as he felt that he might have pushed her too much. Maybe this wasn't what she wanted. Maybe she wasn't ready quite yet for more. He felt very insecure all of a sudden. After all Kate hadn't crossed the last line yet. Was she ready now? Was she going to pick him as her first? Was she going to push him away? Forever? Just for now?

Whatever it was, Rick didn't really care. Whatever her decision was going to be it didn't matter. All that mattered was her well-being no matter how much it would pain him. He was a guy, a man... with needs, but still, he knew her better than any other woman in the world because she was his Kate.

"It's okay if you don't want to, Kate" he whispered even though he knew his heart would be shattered into pieces soon.

"I... I... I don't know, Rick. I'm sorry..."

"It's all right. I understand." Rick said and wanted to lift his body off hers, but she held back by his neck, bringing his face close to hers again.

They were breathing the same air as she melted her lips against his for a very sensual kiss. When Kate let go of his lips, she made sure to hold his head still; their noses touching and their eyes locking.

"But we can do more if you want, I mean... I... God, why does this always have to happen?" she sighed.

He smiled softly down at her, "You're nervous, Kate. I totally understand it. Don't worry..."

"Of course I'm nervous! It's you and me... us... you know? And... this is crazy, right?"

"Maybe, but who cares?"

"I do, Rick!" she exclaimed and sat up straight, taking him along with her. "I mean... I think I really want this. I want you, Rick, and that scares me! I've never felt this way. For once, I really feel like this is the place I want to be... that you're the one. I want you to be my first... but it's you, Rick! I can't... we can't... You're my best friend! You're like a brother to me... except... different! God, you must think I'm crazy!"

She hid her face into both of her hands, ashamed of all the things she just confessed. The truth was she really wanted him. The desire was there... she felt it deep within her. It had been there for a long while now. Every time he kissed her and swept her feet off the ground with those breathless kisses of his.

"Maybe" Rick shrugged with a grin plastered all across his face, "But my feelings for you are still the same. They are real. They are just as real for you as yours are for me, Kate! I'm crazy about you, Kate! I... I think I'm falling in love with you... I mean, I _am_ in love with you!"

Kate eyes shot up into his. She could barely breathe... it was getting hot in here. Maybe she should open the windows just a split, get some fresh air in here.

"Friends don't kiss the way we do, Kate! Friends don't hold hands and make out the way we do, Kate! We can either ignore all of our feelings, hide them forever... in the hope that some day we find happiness again. The truth is that I haven't felt this happy ever since you are back in my life. You're an amazing person... woman. I no longer want to ignore those feelings because I love you. I'm madly in love with you and I want you too, Kate. So much. But..."

Kate silenced Rick with a long searing kiss. Their fierce lip connection lasted quite a while until both slowed down the pace, tasting, feeling and loving each other.

"Rick..."

"I know... it's okay... we can wait... I understand."

Again she kept a hold on him, "No... I mean... I love you too. As said, I want this... I'm just... I..."

"Nervous" Rick finished her sentence and added a reassuring smile to his words and pulled a long lost strand of her wavy hair back behind her ear. His knuckles brushed tenderly across the crimson color on her cheekbones and Rick was sure that she had never looks more beautiful than she did now. "It will be amazing, Kate... I'll be the most perfect gentleman" he whispered showering her face with millions of little butterfly kisses, which raised goose bumps all over her body.

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><p>"Tell me.." he encouraged her another while later as he nodded her drift away in her thoughts.<p>

Her eyes met his, "Did you mind being my first?"

"Not at all, Kate… I was – still am – overwhelmed that you picked me to be the one. I don't know how you're feeling about this, but I wouldn't trade this moment for nothing in the world. Like you said earlier, it's you and me, so that fact alone is quite something to me. You're a woman and you're probably going to think that I might have said that to quite some women, which is true… I'm not hiding it from you. I always fully respected the women I slept with, Kate… but what you and I have… I don't want to compare – but what we have, what we shared… I… I don't have any words for it. I'm a writer, Kate, I know my way around with words, but every time I see your smile, every time we touch, hug or kiss… You make me speechless. All I know is that I'm in love with you, Kate… and I would have never ceased the opportunity to get you to bed just because I could if I didn't love you. I am aware how important this was for you... and I know you just gave me the greatest gift you could ever give someone and that makes me feel very… privileged, special… or…"

This time Kate silenced him with a kiss, "I'm glad you do…" she whispered against his lips. "It meant a lot to me and I'm glad to have waited. It was all worth it. No regrets… "

Rick placed a loving kiss to the top of her head and held her close to his chest. The regular beating of his heart had soon lulled her off to sleep. Contrary to Kate, he couldn't find any sleep so he sneaked out an hour later. Pulling on his boxers and throwing over a t-shirt he found himself staring at Kate's sleeping frame. His eyes drifted to his alarm clock. Today was her twenty-sixth birthday, but all Rick could think about was what an amazing person Kate was, in every way. He was going to make sure that her day was going to be just as special as it had started out.

_tbc_


	16. Chapter 16

A/N 1: I feel so bad for having a short Chapter 15 y'day (for those who didn't read the dirty part), so that I need to update again today! YAY!

A/N 2: I know the pictures are a little far stretched, but I couldn't come up with a better idea than this one, which would make Beckett feel close and like family to them. So just go with it =) thank you!

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><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

The next day/morning

"Good morning, beautiful" Rick greeted her when Kate appeared in the vast open space, clad in nothing but her panties and a long loose t-shirt of his that barely covered her bottoms. Her long brown curly tresses were pulled up at the back of her head in a messy pony tail, with a few strands framing her angelic face. Kate let out a yawn and closed the gap between them to steal a kiss from his lips.

"Morning"

Rick took a moment away from the stove, where he was busy preparing pancake dough for the birthday girl, and wrapped his arms around the small of her back, before placing several wet and open mouthed kisses to her lips and throat.

"Happy Birthday, Kate", he whispered into her ear. She couldn't help the thankful smile itching at the corner of her lips. It felt good being in love again. "How are you… uhm… _feeling_?" he demanded warily seconds later his right hand still resting on her left hip.

Slightly taken aback by his sweet words Kate still felt amazed that he seemed to care so much about her. With a stuttering low voice she admitted, "Just a little sore. I'm aware it was bound to happen if I… when I… you know…"

He reached for her hand and brought it up to his lips to graze them across her knuckles, "I love you, Kate. I want you to know that…" She smiled up at him before he continued, "It will get better with time… I promise… all right? I care a lot about you. I wish it didn't hurt you, but there's nothing much I can do about it..."

"I know" Kate nodded in understanding, "Thanks for being so… thoughtful… It means a lot me", she said and gazed up into his blue eyes where she could easily loose herself in. It was overwhelming how secure and protective it felt being so close to him. "And I love you too, Rick. Last night was…uhm, beautiful, so thanks for making it special to me… I want you to know that too."

Rick pulled lightly at her hips. She responded to his request and hopped onto the kitchen counter, bringing them to the same eye level. He stepped in between her legs and held her close for a while, hugging her tightly up against him, hopefully procuring her with the same feeling he felt right now. A minute later he slowly pulled out of their embrace to kiss her fully. He felt the tip of her fingers brush in a feather light touch against his cheek, steadily slowing down their lip connection to a point where it was sending chills all the way down his spine.

"Kate", he hummed enthralled by her amazing kissing skills while resting his forehead against hers.

Kate didn't feel any different as she sucked in her lower lip.

"Mind if I go for a shower first? Besides I don't want your mother to find out about us by me sitting here half naked."

Rick chuckled at that and let go of her, "Be quick. Breakfast will be ready in ten."

* * *

><p>Just as Kate stepped out of Rick's bedroom  study, Martha also came waltzing down the staircase already gallantly dressed up for such an early morning.

"Oh! Good morning, Kate! What got you out of bed at this early hour, my dear?"

Kate stared across the room and behind Martha where Rick was gesticulating through the air, but she couldn't make out what he was trying to communicate even if her life depended on it. She felt deadpanned and didn't know what to reply so she was even the more glad when Rick came to the rescue.

"It's Kate's birthday today, mother!"

Martha turned on her heels to look at her son before bringing her attention back to Kate.

"Oh my God! How could I possibly have forgotten about this?" she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air, "Oh come here…Happy Birthday… Aging really doesn't suit me. I'll make up for it, I promise."

"Oh, thank you Martha, but you really don't have to. I'm glad with what I have…"

"Nonsense sweet heart! Everybody deserves a birthday gift!"

"Have you forgotten all about the Rodgers/Castle's birthday traditions?" Rick intervened, as he served each of them equal amount of pancakes, along with a glass of freshly pressed orange juice and a stack of side fruits, honey and powder sugar.

Kate smiled and thanked Rick for the brewed coffee mug he handed out to her, adding, "No, but I'm neither a Rodger nor a Castle girl…"

Rick couldn't help thinking… _well, not yet…_

Kate must have read his eyes as she did so very often and flashed him her usual death glare across the counter. Next her grin washed out of her face because she knew very well what their tradition was like. They were going to dig right into photo albums and reminisce old times. Then again, they didn't have any pictures of her so she felt on the safe side again.

"You have always been family to us, Kate, and you will always be. Besides I must have pictures of you somewhere. Richard, would you be so sweet and get me that one box from the cellar right after breakfast? You know, the red one?"

"You mean, like the red one I was never ever allowed to look inside?"

* * *

><p>Once they were done with breakfast, Rick got the said red box out of the cellar. It was a square shaped red velvet box with a lid which he deposited on the counter. Dust covered the top and with a wet cloth he absorbed a great part of the brown dirt. Curious to know what was inside, he dug forward but Martha slapped his hand away.<p>

"Ouch!" he screamed with a high pitched voice, clutching is injured hand against his chest.

"I'm still your mother, Richard! Don't be so prying."

Kate laughed out loud at the duo, while Martha went through the miscellaneous pictures that filled the secret box. Kate felt just as curious as Rick did, but still respected Martha's privacy when it came to the container and held back to inquire more.

"Ah! There it is!" Martha exclaimed minutes later, slumping her body down onto the couch as both adults gathered on either side of the older woman, stealing a glance over her shoulders.

Kate couldn't believe that Martha actually owed pictures of her, while Martha continued her tale.

"Your mother and I had been friends for quite a while before she was pregnant. When she told me to be expecting, she was so happy. She always wanted to have a little girl and once she knew she was going to have a daughter her happiness doubled. Oh, here… you probably know that one. Your father took it."

It was a picture of Johanna Beckett lying in the hospital bed with Martha sitting next to her and her newborn baby girl resting in her arms. Both women smiled broadly at the camera, capturing the moment forever.

The next was of a boy sitting rather awkwardly on a chair, holding the baby in his arms as good as he could. His eyes weren't focused onto the camera, but at the infant lying in his arms.

"Is that Rick?" Kate interjected while taking a closer look at the picture.

She felt Martha nod her head, "He was so worried he was goingto_ break_ _the baby_." She air quoted.

Kate giggled sweetly as Rick tried to reminisce that part of his life.

"Oh, you were so adorable, Richard. Kate startled you when she started wailing. It was so cute. You were utterly worried and I had to reassure you countless times that you didn't do anything wrong and that it was natural for a baby to cry out. You were so scared that it took you weeks before you approached her again."

The next picture Martha retrieved from the box was a close up of a very smiling boy, sitting slack in the middle of green grass – Kate deduced it must have been taken on a daily outing in Central Park, where else could it be? – and a two toothy smiling and drooling baby girl sitting in front of him. The boy's arms were tightly wrapped around the baby's little body to keep her up and away from falling or crawling away. Kate thought she didn't look older than one year in that picture.

"Richard loved you already so much back then." Martha's heart warmed up with love at the smiling pair. "It broke his heart when your parents moved back to Chicago. Oh… this is my favorite one."

The following photo was of a twelve year old boy and a two year old toddler horse back riding on a very sunny day.

"You were scared of the horse, but as usual, Richard had managed to get you to trust the tall animal. We still don't know to this day how he did it, but he always knew how to make you feel at ease. You were so adorable… look at those pig tails." Martha couldn't stop awing, as a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Kate first gazed over at Rick flashing him a loving smile that made him go weak in the knees. Rick remembered perfectly well that day; the day she got pulled away from him. The little girl whom he always had a soft spot for, and his feelings hadn't changed much, except that they got even stronger; much stronger. He was in love with her and wanted to hold her real close right now, just to make sure that life was never going to tear them apart ever again. They yet had to let Martha in on their secret, but Rick wanted to wait for the right moment. Now wasn't the time yet…

Kate reached for the tissue box and handed it over to Martha, who dabbed her face with the paper, took a deep breath and continued. Kate felt with the woman because she secretly understood that she was like the daughter she never got the chance to have. It was psychology one-oh-one.

"This was the last day before you left. Your parents were busy packing everything, and in order for you not to get in their way, I got to watch over you. Richard proposed we go horseback riding, so we did. At the end you were having a great time. Look here… You even patted the horse goodbye and gave it a kiss."

Kate fetched the picture out of Martha's hand. She sure recognized herself in this photo due to the miscellaneous photo albums she owed of herself throughout childhood. This picture she had never seen, and gathering that the picture was taken during an outing with Martha and her son, it was obvious her father didn't have a copy of it.

"Your mother kept sending me pictures throughout the years. Sadly with my busy schedule and Richard attending boarding school we never saw each other for those four years, until you moved back here again."

Martha continued pulling out quite some pictures which eventually also refreshened Kate's memory of her and Rick together. It was weird looking at them because as bizarre as this might sound, she didn't owe any pictures of herself and Rick; apart from the one she had taken with her Polaroid on their last day. She was ten years old back then. She silently wondered to herself _why_?

"Oh! Look at you! Pool time… you loved being in the water at that age, Kate!"

A very wet six year old Kate Beckett was pulling her tongue out at the camera. The following image was a continuum of the pool section pictures, with a smiling little girl. Her upper front teeth were all missing and she was holding a strawberry flavored ice-cream in her hand.

"Oh my God! I look awful!" Kate exclaimed hiding her face into both of her hands.

"Well, you sure didn't like being teased about it either, and Richard knew how to pull your pigtails back then. Before we knew it you had him kicked in the shin. You were a tempered little girl, always getting your way."

Rick chimed in, "Ah, and she still does to do this day!" Kate grabbed the cushion resting next to her, tossed it Rick's direction and pulled out her tongue. "Oh yeah, graceful and eloquent" he snarled back in a teasing way.

"Children!" Martha reprimanded both of them. She couldn't quite believe those two could still act as childishly as they used to do when they were younger, and yet her words seemed to have an effect on them as they stopped instantly, alas not without a groan and a pout from either side. "For what it's worth, Richard, she had you wrapped around her little finger. You could barely say _no_ to her!"

Kate flashed him a smug smile by way of winning point for her. Rick was fully aware that he barely ever could resist her pleading eyes and pouting lips, but he wasn't willing to admit it. At least not out loud. He was pretty sure Kate knew that she owed, and would always owe his heart, especially after last night.

"Which one's that?"

The picture was pretty similar to the one when she had been a one year old baby, except that in this one she looked to be around eight, giving Rick the age of an eighteen year old teenager. While Kate was cozily nestled in Rick's lap with her arms stretching out over her head and around the back of his, another mysterious girl sat smiling next to the pair.

"Oh, I took you down to Sandy Hook with the ferry. It was summer and it was so hot that day! You wanted to go to the beach, so we went!"

"Ah… I wonder who gets who wrapped!" Rick couldn't help throwing at his mother.

Frankly, Martha frequently couldn't either resist to the young girl's wishes. She didn't get to see the girl that much, so when the opportunity presented itself, she just let it go. Her parents were keeping her on a tight leash; especially Jim Beckett. Martha felt like the girl needed some liberty and she was willingly giving it to her.

"Who's the other girl?" Kate wondered out loud.

"Nathalie… my girlfriend at that time." Rick reminded her but obviously Kate didn't.

"Right, Nathalie! Oh boy! You were so jealous, Kate. It was so sweet and innocent" Martha told as Kate felt the heat rush to her cheekbones.

Even now she couldn't helping feeling that way. The girl in the picture was of a model cut right out from the red carpet: perfectly shaped and tanned body, long blond hair and probably a pair of piercing blue eyes, which were hidden by an oversized pair of sunglasses. To top it off, she was also flashing a perfectly full white one thousand watt smile. Rick's right hand was resting on Kate's midsection while his other arm was draped across the girl's shoulders.

Suddenly Kate remembered, "That was the day where I lost my favorite bracelet, the one you gave me for my birthday, Martha. The day where you gave me this neon cord bracelet to replace it." she said to Rick, holding up her cluster of keys, where the bracelet now hung instead of a keychain.

"Yeah… well, you were heart broken, so I had to do something." Rick said in his defense.

"You told me that the _cool_ guys were wearing them at school, and I could be one of them even though I was only eight years old. It also symbolized friendship, and that no matter what, I'd always be your number one girl friend."

If only Kate knew how true those words were nowadays to him. Back then they were too, except in a different way. Now she actually got to be his _girlfriend_ for real, and Rick decided it was time to let her know.

"You always have and always will be, Kate." Rick spoke gazing into her green eyes without flinching. Kate's heart was doing summersaults deep within her chest. Did he just say this out loud? In front of his mother?

Martha gazed back and forth between the couple, trying to figure out what was going on. Something was amiss but she couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly.

"The two of you have been acting very strangely as of recently. Are you hiding or am I missing something here?" Martha thus questioned.

"Well, mother…" Rick paused taking a second or two to think about his words. Kate shifted from the couch onto the small table so that she was sitting closer to Rick. He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers. Both _children_ sat first smiling goofily at each other and then back at Martha. "To tell you the truth, and yes we've been hiding it from you, but only because we didn't quite know ourselves where we were heading to, but now that we know, I, uhm… _we_ would like you to know that Kate and I are together… officially…as in a couple." He stuttered nervously over his words.

Martha's eyes and mouth shot wide open, "A couple? As in…?"

"As in two people being in love. Yes, mother. And so… very, _very_ much."

"Oh my!"

"Although we still have a lot to figure out, Kate and I are aware of the impact it has, but we fell in love with each other over the past months, mother. We know how confusing this must sound to you given our history. We've tried to ignore all the signs, to repress them, but our love for one another is stronger than our friendship has ever been. I'm in love with Kate."

Kate nodded her head, "And I'm in love with Rick, Martha."

"And we hope you're giving us your full support. We can understand that it's a lot to take in, believe me; it's new to us too. Whatever our past… it's the present that counts and we will need your support and understanding for that. We don't want this be a problem between us."

"Well… wow… that clearly is a lot of information to absorb in such short time. I clearly don't know what to think of this… I mean, really?"

Both Rick and Kate nodded their heads. He gently pulled at her arm giving her the sign that he longed to kiss her. She leaned in and their lips met in a loving kiss, which made Kate blush up profusely. Still to do this day she wasn't much of a person of public display; even if their only public happened to be Martha Rodgers.

"What about the age difference, Richard? And everything else…"

Rick perfectly understood where his mother was coming from. The news were big and she was completely confused.

"Does it really matter, mother?"

Kate felt a tad bit relieved when Rick answered one of her own questions. He didn't seem to have a problem at all. It had crossed her mind too several times. So many questions and so little answers. Apparently love was quite tricky and in their case it sure was.

"I know Kate better than any other woman out there, mother. I remember all too well all those times I got to spend with her in my past, watching her grow and sometimes I wish I had had the chance to watch her grow all the way to the amazing woman she is nowadays. But who knows what our friendship would be like then?

I've been over this like a million times and I am sure Kate did too. She was like a little sister to me, mother… just as much as I was like a big brother to her. Come on, you know pretty well what we were like those days. You said it yourself, she had me wrapped around her little finger… and she still does", Rick finished his words in a bare whisper, meeting Kate's eyes along the way.

A long silence fell over them until Kate spoke up as she fetched one of Martha's hands.

"I'm really happy I found my second family back, Martha, and along the way I also found the most loving, understanding and thoughtful man there is out there."

"I've been married twice to women I thought I loved. Not that I didn't love them, but it took all but Kate to show me what it means to be _in love_."

"So how long have you two love birds been keeping this from me? Sneaking around behind my back?" Martha finally wanted to know. Her happiness was displayed all across her face, which released some of the couple's tension.

"Several weeks, but officially since last night." Rick informed his mother.

"Okay kiddo! Too much information! Whatever happens behind that door, stays behind that door!"

Rick had to smile at his mother's words while Kate turned all crimson. His attention had in no way been to embarrass Kate. It just came out the wrong way… After all they had _agreed_ to be officially a couple regardless of the fact of sleeping together. It was a mutual decision, which had eventually led to more last night.

_tbc_


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Okay I wanted to write a birthday gift chapter, but I just couldn't get my mind to focus on it, or find ideas… So no birthday gift for the birthday girl… *sniff*. This chapter is lightly PG-13 rated, the dirty version can be found here: s/8325611/2/

PS. Chapter 18 is another 'get to know each other' chapter LOL

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><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

"I want to make love to you, Kate" Rick whispered against the crook of her neck much later that night when Martha had left the loft to enjoy a movie with a good friend of hers.

His hands were skimming all across Kate's back, sides, neck and any other part they could reach. Sitting on the kitchen counter she provided him with the best level there could be. It was easy to kiss her since they were at the same eye level. Rick loved those gorgeous green eyes of hers. When she gazed at him like this, all dreamingly and slightly aroused by his not so innocent touches, it was driving him wild and yearning for more. He was a man with needs and he needed her, more than ever before.

The entire day he had been dreading it on and on. Flashes of their last night spent together filled his mind over and over again. It was literally killing him from the inside out. He wanted to touch her. He wanted to feel her. He wanted to taste her. But most of all he wanted to love her. Just like he had the previous night. On more than just one occasion he had found himself staring at her today, mesmerized by her beauty. She hadn't noted any of it as she had been too busy chatting with his mother, laughing about stories of their childhood, cutting up vegetables for their dinner or just brushing her teeth this morning.

Their first night together (her first real night) was engraved in his mind forever. He knew it. He knew she was the one. The big one… The one he wanted to grow old with. The one who would make him happy no matter what. The one he wanted to have a baby with.

"You want kids, right?" He mumbled between kisses.

"What?" Kate interrupted him.

Frankly Rick Castle had no idea why that thought had crossed his mind, and by all means the words had already left his mouth too. Maybe because his subconscious told him that he wasn't getting any younger.

"I don't want to scare you, or anything… I'm just asking…"

"Yes, I guess so, but not now…" Kate blinked at him from the corner of her eyes. Was he loosing his mind now?

"Of course not now… I mean…" He stopped briefly to intertwine their fingers. His face was mere inches away from hers that he could literally feel the heat emanating from her body and her hot breath floating over his face, "We still got to _practice_ a lot, before we… There's so many things I want to show you first… God, don't bite your lip. It's driving me crazy." Rick instantly dug in for another languish kiss that left her panting for air.

"Rick… Rick… Rick…" She murmured against his lips, trying to slow down his increasing arousal. "Why… why are we having this conversation?"

Rick stopped and tenderly bumped his nose against hers, "I don't know…"

"Tell me…" Kate challenged him this round, but Rick only shrugged.

"When I picked you up the other day from day care and I saw you through the glass door. You were holding that baby to your chest, and rocking it softly back and forth. I just… I guess I got carried away and that's when I knew… _realized_… that I could no longer withhold the feelings I felt for you. That's what I want, Kate… You, me… and a baby. Some time… in the future… I'd love that… I mean… I really don't want to upset you, but I also know you well enough to know that you won't be. That's why I am telling you open mindedly."

"I cannot believe we are making out and then having a conversation about babies."

"Babies?" Rick exclaimed his jaw hitting the floor.

"You started the conversation, so let's talk about it. Yes, I want babies. Not just one… well, I mean, I would love to have more than just one."

"More?" Rick stuttered nervously while swallowing.

Kate flashed him a wicked smile. She knew he had him pinned this time, "Yeah… three, maybe four."

"Three? Four?" Rick gulped a couple of times.

"What? Are you afraid of making babies?"

Rick coughed nervously, "Making them is the fun part. Raising them is a whole different story!"

Kate could have easily continued the bantering as it was going very well for her, but she decided against it, quite defeated since it seemed to worry him more than she actually wanted to torture him. It was meant to be playful. Her eyes went downcast.

"If you want only one, I guess I could live with that too…"

Seeing Kate heart broken, Rick quickly jumped in, "Hey, you can have as many babies as you want, Kate." His her lips and wrapped his arms around her body. "Two, three, four… hell even five… I… I don't mind, but we'd need to get a bigger place than this one…"

Kate couldn't help the chuckle that left her throat, "I see you've got our entire future planned out already!"

"I guess so" Rick spoke gazing straight into her eyes. His hand tenderly brushed Kate's hair off her shoulders. "I'm in love with you, Kate. I've been thinking about our future a lot. I'm sitting there in my study where I am supposed to get some writing done and instead all I do is think about you, how amazing you are, and how much I just love you… My mind is wandering places it's not supposed to go as yet… I mean…"

"I did too, Rick, I… Remember when I said that I wanted to wait for the right one – well of course you do – but what I'm trying to say is that I at least wanted to give myself to the person I was comfortable with, whom I loved and whom I could see myself in a serious relationship with? You know?"

"I do…"

"If ever things hadn't work out I would have had to accept that choice, but I was willing to take a shot at waiting. I'm not saying it was easy, because – well you get the picture – I have had boyfriends, just not… you know… I knew they weren't the right one. Rick?"

"Hmm?" he hummed against her lips, while he kept stealing kisses in between words. Kate managed to catch his head between her hands so she could look him straight in the eyes.

"I love you", she breathed. Her voice was like a soft caress against his warm skin. Tears were brimming in her eyes. That's how overwhelmed she felt with the feelings she had for Rick. "I love you, Rick" she repeated one last time, tightening her hold around his neck and bringing him as close as he could be to her. Not an inch was separating them, as they both relished into the feeling of holding each other.

After a while Rick took a step back from her. Tears were now freely rounding down her cheeks.

"Don't"

"But last night was…"

"I know… I know… Come here."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, kissed her fully and deeply, switching from slow to intense kisses all along for a while, slowly building up the tension between them.

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><p><em>Insert naughty part<em>

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><p>"I love you, Kate."<p>

With dreamy heavy eyes she returned his love declaration, "I love you too, Rick. This is amazing."

Rick softly chuckled at her words, "It is, right?" Kate nodded against his forehead before he continued, "I've never felt anything like this, Kate. I want you to know that. I want you to know how special you are to me. I don't have any words… I… I just love you, and never want to let go of you ever again. That's how you make me feel."

"You're very special to me too" she awed up at him from her lying position. And God did he knew how special he was to her. He only hoped that she also understood and trusted his words as well.

"I'll be right back", Rick whispered dropping a kiss to her collar bone before making a quick beeline to the bathroom only to emerge bare seconds later. He pulled up against his chest to cuddle deep into her body. Silence fell across the room for a while before Kate spoke up again.

"Rick?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you"

Rick nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck, took a deep breath and exhaled, loving the feeling of holding her in his arms, "I love you too, Kate… so so very very much."

Kate rolled around to face him, "I mean it… I mean, I don't care about our background. I don't care about our age difference. I don't care that you used to sit me when I was still little girl. I know it feels weird sometimes when I think about it, 'cause you were like a brother to me back then. But I think that connection between us has always been there. It's a different one than the one we used to have, but it's still there. And it 's stronger than ever before, Rick. I know, and I can understand your mom when she has her doubts, I have had them to, just like you had them. You're my best friend, Rick. I had missed you so much back then. All I wanted was you and Martha. I thought many times about leaving my dad, but I was eleven years old and scared. Obviously I had no money or any idea how to travel from Chicago to New York, but I thought about it often. I was so heart broken to never hear from you again. I was a girl and you were a twenty year old young man. You loved me and cared for me anyway. I thought you would stick to your promise, but you didn't… so I figured you were glad to be rid of me. I was young and for years I believed that, but now… "

"I would have called you, Kate. Yes I loved and cared for you. I missed my annoying _little sister_. No matter how crazy you drove me with your energy, vivacity, chattering hours on end or whatever. I missed it. You always brought life into our house. It was a different atmosphere when you were there. My mother was different whenever you stayed with us. I know how much love you brought to her back then. I might have been her only child, but she considered you like a second one. I had to pick up the pieces when you were gone, Kate. It was a hard time for her. She loves me, I know that much. She really does, but you were dear to her heart, and you still are. She might not be able to show it to you the way she used to. Maybe she is too afraid to actually show you, I don't know… Or maybe she is afraid to loose you again. She will come around with us being a couple, Kate."

Rick reached with his hand to rake his fingers tenderly through her brown long tresses. He smiled and added, "So I'm not too old for you, huh?" It was a subject that had kept him at bay from the start.

"No… not at all… I was just _apprehensive_ when it came to your experience… I… you know…" Her cheekbones took over a darker shade of red, "I gathered that I must be too young for you… that you still thought of me as the Kate you once knew. You know?"

Rick's smile grew wider, "You're a woman, Kate. Sure the thought had crossed my mind the first couple of days, but seeing you in that dress one day – the first time we went out – My mind was like _Oh my God, she's hot _but the very next second my mind was like _This is Kate… she's NOT hot, she's Kate. _The more time we spent together, the more did I realize that you were no longer the Kate I used to know. You still are, but… different…"

"Good different, I hope."

"Amazingly different", he breathed and placed a tender kiss onto her lips.

Feeling satisfied her eyes closed shut at the loving affection he was providing her with. Minutes later her regular breathing informed him that she had drifted off to sleep. His eyes remained on her peaceful face for another while, gazing at her, taking in her beauty, thinking of all the wonderful things she had brought back into his life… Rick was in love, and it felt good feeling the way he did. Soon sleep also had befallen him as they laid side by side, breathing in and out together as if they were one. And they were… two souls had finally found their way to each other and their journey only just began.

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><p><em>tbc<em>


	18. AN

**Author's Note:**

For anybody wondering (or short memory) – but you're forgiven ;o)

Chapter 18 is entirely M/MA rated!

You can find it here: s/8325611/3/Waiting_for_you

Next 'real' update: Monday (busy weekend ahead of me! Sorry!)

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding! =)

xo, NancyErin


	19. Chapter 19

A/N 1: I'm not sure whether it was mentioned where Castle's beach house was, except in the Hamptons

A/N 2: Just imagine the scene between Ross and Elisabeth ('Friends' reference)

A/N 3: Please give me review or PMs or whatever =) I need something to cheer me up. It's Monday and I'm exhausted, and the week has only began… looooong week! :o(

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><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

"Where are we going?"

"To the Hamptons" Rick informed her a large grin plastered all across his face.

"The Hamptons?" Kate exclaimed incredulous.

Was he loosing his mind now? And what could they possible do up there? Besides Kate would feel very much out of place in such a sophisticated place only destined for the upper scale population. That's when it struck Rick, that Kate actually didn't know he owed a beach house in Easthampton.

"You have a house? Up in the Hamptons?"

Rick vigorously nodded his head like a six year old on Christmas eve.

"Yeah, in Amagansett. We should go… This weekend… just the two of us."

It had been a long time since Kate last went to the beach. She could really need a break. The opportunity presented itself at the right moment. Rick was right. For the past couple of months she managed her way through the end of the period trial on her working contract and was now fully hired with an open contract at the day care center. The long hours were starting to wear her down, so a little fresh air away from the noisy city sounded really appetizing.

A slow smile grew on her face at the thought of it.

"Go pack your bag, I'll take it with me and tomorrow I'll pick you up at the center so we can drive there right away."

Kate gave it a though, "You know, I could ask Lilly if she wants to take over my late shift. I'm supposed to work till seven tomorrow, that way we could avoid rush hour traffic. That is if you don't have anything else…"

"Nope, sounds like a plan to me. Now go pack", Rick urged her on and watched her skip out of the living room but still followed right behind her.

It was Thursday evening already and they had barely seen each other this week. No matter how much he longed for Kate to move in with him, she still insisted on needing some more time to herself. She though added that she would love to move in, that it had nothing to do with her not wanting to, but just something that she needed to do. She was in love with Rick. Never until this day had her feelings for a man felt that strong. She had never lived with a man before, and even though Rick probably knew her better than herself, she just didn't feel like she was in that spot quite yet. Something was holding her back. Maybe this little trip to the Hamptons was going to give her an insight of what it was going to be like living with _the _Richard Castle.

"What's this?"

Rick was waving a scarcely tiny clothing item in the air.

"My bikini!" Kate replied nonchalantly without paying much attention at his flabbergasted expression.

For the split of a second Rick couldn't quite grasp that _his_ Kate was ever thinking of wearing something as tiny as _this_. And for the split of a second Rick also thought of never letting or even allowing her to show off her body. This thing was covering almost down to nothing of her amazing body. She was his Kate, and only he was granted that privilege.

"What? Why? You said we were going to the beach. I need a bikini!" She countered shaking him out of his haze completely oblivious to his thoughts as she packed a couple of shirts into her luggage.

Rick gulped a couple of times regaining some of his previous composure, "It's just… it's small…"

This time his words caught her. She could help the chuckle bubbling in her throat, "Are you jealous?"

"Me? Jealous? Why would I be jealous?"

His stuttering voice gave him away. _This was fun_, Kate thought to herself, but she also felt sorry for him. She knew perfectly well what it was like to feel jealous and she didn't want to torture him that much. She closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around the small of his back.

"Awww, you're so cute. I love you." She stated, moved onto her tiptoes and placed a kiss to his lips, "You know, men can look and stare all they want, but there's only one man allowed to touch it… or to kiss it…" She whispered in between loving kisses.

Rick sighed and pulled her slowly closer to him, finishing her sentence, "… or to make love… hmm… I like that."

Kate smiled against his kiss, loving the protective arms around her body as she lost herself in her own daydream.

"Yeah, we like doing that, don't we?"

"You're torturing me here, Kate." She laughed, "It's been a week, and yes, I'm not going to deny it, I miss you… That sounds pathetic, now, doesn't it?" He spoke in another note, "Makes me sound like a horny seventeen year old boy…" and cringed at his own words.

Kate shrugged and confessed, "I miss you too, Rick. And I'm sorry I couldn't…" before a crimson blush appeared on her cheek bones.

"Never apologize, Kate. Okay?"

Rick's hands suddenly started to wander beneath the hem of her shirt as he lips brushed up against her ears in a very tempting way. But Kate fetched his prying fingers off her hip bones.

"Not tonight" she breathed heavily. His simple caresses were still enough to make her loose balance each and every single time he laid hands on her, "We have the entire weekend to ourselves, Rick. I… please don't be mad, I just want to… crash down and get some sleep." Some quiet seconds ticked by, "Hold me?" she wondered like an damsel in distress.

"Of course. Anything you want, Kate." He gazed into her green eyes for a while, until his left hand pulled a lost strand of her wavy dark curls out of her face, "I could never be mad at you, especially for _that_ reason. You're right, we have the entire weekend… and it's going to be amazing. You'll love it…"

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><p><em>tbc<em>


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Oh my God, Rick!"

Kate exclaimed once the gate opened up to the long driveway that was leading up to the house. Right behind she could already catch a glimpse at the white sandy beach as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

"Oh, if that is your reaction to the outside… You ain't seen nothing yet."

While getting their baggage out of the trunk, Rick couldn't help from laughing to himself as Kate stood mesmerized at the view in front of her. He could have asked her to help him with the grocery bags they had brought along, but he loved to see her awestruck. As she stood there in all her glory, dressed in a pair of shorts that gave way too much away from her long slender legs, and a tank top. She was a sports person and everybody could see that. Her long hair was pulled up at the back of her head into a ponytail that casually dangled to her collarbones. She looked so young, so beautiful, with the entire future ahead of her. If Rick didn't know her real age, he would have given her a mere twenty or twenty-two years at most. And she was his; not that she belonged to him or anything. Kate Beckett wasn't property of Richard Castle, but sometimes it still made him feel that way. Especially once all his protective feelings shifted into gears.

He caught up with her and managed to pull her along the stony pathway that was zigzagging through a small flower garden and giving onto the main entrance. Once the door was unlocked, a warm heat wave struck them first. They both sighed. Rick dropped the grocery bags onto the kitchen counter and lounged himself at the air condition regulator.

"It should take about an hour…" He explained, but Kate had already opened the French doors leading onto a private patio, garden and down to the beach.

Rick stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms to the front of her body. His lips brushed against the side of her head.

"This is beautiful, Rick. Thank you…"

"Hmmmm" Rick was at loss of words for the time being, and simply longed to cherish this moment for as long as possible. The warm sunrays were tickling against his skin, and his arms were draped around the woman he was deeply in love with. Life was beautiful.

Kate turned around in his embrace and pulled his head down for a long smoldering kiss that left them both breathless.

"Wow… you're amazing" Rick stumbled nervously over his words. Kate smiled innocently before her gaze swayed across the open room.

"I see it really pays off to be a best-selling mystery murder novelist. I did well, falling in love with a tall, rich and ruggedly handsome writer."

"Oh, I see… so you're after my money."

"Of course. Why else do you think did I sleep with you?" Rick knew she was playing him. Just as much as she knew that he was aware of her only teasing him. Despite their bantering, her demeanor changed within seconds to a sincerer tone, "I love you, Rick."

"I love you too, Kate. God, you have no idea" he whispered almost out of breath before kissing her deeply. When they parted, he also lightly let go of her, which made her knees buckle. He caught her and they both ended up in a soft fit of laughter.

"Come on, I'll show you around", he said later once they got back to their usual selves. He intertwined their fingers and lead the way through the bungalow cottage.

The entire house had dark wide plank hardwood floors and wainscoting. It was a unique, one-of-a-kind cottage decorated Hampton's style with white overstuffed couches and some private and personal antiques, which made it feel very at home. The house wasn't too big and wasn't too small either, at least not for a vacation home. It was just all around perfect.

"I've spent quite some summers up here, working on one or two books. On occasions mother also tagged along."

They stood again on the patio outdoors smelling the breeze of the warm ocean floating right in.

"So, any of your wives or conquests ever been up here?"

Kate didn't want to bring up the subject, but as soon as the words had left her mouth, she regretted them. Rick instantly felt the stiffness in her body. He held tighter onto her as his eyes momentarily drifted shut, before speaking in a soft tone.

"No… I've bought this house about five years ago, right after my second divorce. I needed something new, something fresh to start all over again. Only mother and I have been in this house, so far. You're the only woman – besides mother of course - to cross that threshold."

For the next ten minutes Rick found her fairly quiet.

"Hey?" He managed to get her attention by the tilt of her chin once she was face to face with him.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have brought this up now. Not now that we're trying to be just the two of us…"

"Kate!" He sighed her name, as tears started welling in her eyes, but before he could act, she was gone.

For the split of a second he longed to chase after her, but something held him back. He stood there for a while, alone, observing her. She was sitting on the white sand, her knees pulled up against her chest probably crying. He gave her a few more minutes until he dared walking up next to her. Without saying a word, he sat next to her. Both stared away at the waves crashing in from the sea. The sun was still high up in the sky but it was only a matter of hours before it would start its descend. After a while she leaned her head against his shoulder. His arm went around her back to hold her closer.

"I love you, Rick" she sniffled. His heart ached at the pain she was feeling. Her voice was somewhat muffled by the sound of the waves hitting the shore. "It's just that sometimes I'm afraid that I can't give you enough… that I'm not enough…"

"What do you mean, Kate?"

Her head lifted off his shoulder, and her eyes locked with his.

"You have been married twice, and you got divorced twice. I don't know the reason of your divorces, but I guess they weren't as fulfilling as you hoped they would be. We're not married or anything, but what if I'm not enough. What if I'm not what you expected me to be?"

"Kate…"

Tears were literally spilling down her face by now, "I gave myself to you because I love you. I'm a one and done type of girl. I want us to grow old together. I want to have your babies some time. And some day I dream about being your wife. So what if this is not enough for you? Or what if all of that is suddenly too much for you?"

"Don't say that you don't give me enough, because you're giving me so much, Kate. You gave me your love, your heart, your soul, … And the fact that there is so much more that you want to give me, makes me love you even much more. Hey… I love you, Kate. I will never tire of saying it over and over again, because I'm in love with you. I don't know what you want me to say… The first time I got married too young, too fast… The second time I thought I was in love, but after two years we separated on good terms. Neither the first time, not the second time did I think much about my future. What I see _with you_ is a future, Kate. I can see us thirty years from now, strolling down that beach hand in hand. I never really thought much about children, but all I need is one look at you, and I can't help thinking how amazing you are going to look with our child inside of you. That's how you make me feel. That's how happy you make me… I only want you, Kate."

"Really?"

Her eyes were so full of hope. Despite the circumstances he loved that tear streamed face so much. She was beautiful even with tears in her eyes and smeared mascara on her rosy cheeks.

"I just want you, Kate."

Kate sighed and tried to absorb his words. It wasn't like she had any doubts on the love he felt for her. She really didn't know herself what it was exactly. There was this feeling in the pit of her stomach that had to do with the fact that he had already been married twice, that he was more experienced when it came to being in a serious relationship, that he was willing to move faster than she was. But there was also the fact that she loved him, more than anybody else in the whole world. She knew what she wanted: him. She needed to come clean with her fears. Deep down inside there was only one person in this world she trusted most and that was no other than Rick.

Her hand skimmed along his arm so she could hold his hand.

"Thank you… for putting up with me and my crazy thoughts. I guess I just need more time than you to adjust to _us_. I know your love for me is true; it's just that sometimes… I don't know how to put it into words because it feels silly… I don't know if you can call them fears or not… We've been together almost a month now. It's still all new in some way, and on another hand it feels like everything seems to be falling right into place. In my heart I know we were meant to be, and I'm glad we found our way to each other… Just give me time… okay?"

Rick couldn't tear his eyes away from the woman he loved. Kate meant the world to him, and he was more than willing to give her the time that she needed.

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><p><em>tbc<em>

A/N 1: I know cheesy, but I don't care… I love it! =) What do you think?

A/N 2: homeaway vacation-rental / p344391#map – I know I could have given them a HUGE home; I do in other fics, but for this one I opted for a cozy tiny home.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Sorry, I totally forgot to update yesterday! My bad, but please don't hit me! =) I bruise easily! lol

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><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

Later that afternoon/evening

Kate slowly rose in a tangle of sheet. She blinked her eyes a couple of times to adjust to the soft orange and pink light from outside. The sun was setting. A heavy weight was draped across her abdomen: Rick's left arm. She cautiously lifted it up so that she could sneak out from beneath the linen sheets.

Minutes later, lukewarm water was cascading down her tired muscles. They had both drifted off into a light slumber after their make up session. She sighed remembering the little conversation that had flowed between them before they had gotten down to business. She laughed inwardly at the thought of it before ducking her shampooed head under the ray of water.

"Oh my God, Rick!" she squealed delightfully albeit a little bit startled at his naked frame in the shower stall.

"I missed you" Was all he managed before wrapping her into a senseless kiss that left her begging for more. Satisfied to have reached his goal, he grinned widely at her.

Kate groaned, "Can't I take a shower by myself?"

"No.." he retorted with smug smile. "I bet you missed me too, didn't you?"

"No" she echoed his words in the same tone.

"Liar!"

Kate pulled out her tongue at him, while he took that as an invitation to kiss her all over again.

"Rick!" She playfully slapped his shoulder as their kiss broke up with a loud smack.

"Okay…okay…" He held up both hands into the air in sign of resignation and stepped out of the stall again.

Fifteen minutes later, Kate reappeared in the family room. Whatever Rick was busy cooking, smelled delicious. As she rounded the corner she watched him from behind as he went about the kitchen. The man knew how to cook and she loved it. She loved him so much, every fiber of her body was yearning for him.

"Oh hey" Rick smiled up at her. He had that boyish innocent deep look in his eyes. "Just grab two plates from the shelf and some glasses. Dinner's ready. Some red wine?"

Kate did as instructed and nodded her head at his offer of wine. She could need a glass right now with the meal, and sat down at the scarcely dressed table.

"Fried zucchini with dried tomatoes, cottage cheese and tuna. Low-carb as per your request."

"Hmmm… awesome. Thank you."

They ate their meal in complete silence. Only a handful of furtive looks and smiles were exchanged, just enjoying each other's company. Right afterward they cleared the dishes, and soon the kitchen was spit and span again.

"You wanna go for a stroll?"

Kate agreed, and so they walked hand in hand alongside the beach. They didn't even bother grabbing a jacket, since they had each other to keep warm. Besides the early night wasn't that chilly quite yet. On one side the sun was almost all set. Only the horizon was still burning a dark shade of red while the one half of the sky reflected a gloomy dark purple and the other half was already pitch black on a clear moon night. It felt like heaven on Earth, far away from the noisy New York City traffic. No sound, except the waves coming in and brushing against their feet and calves.

"It's true…" Rick said as he came to a halt.

Kate also stopped in her track, "What?"

Something about Rick's appearance made him look melancholic.

"That I love you." He spoke sincerely without flinching, "That you're the only woman I have ever truly loved. That I want to grow old with you. That I can't imagine a life without you anymore. That you mean the world to me, always have and always will. That I want you to be happy. If you are happy, then I'm happy. I want you to have my babies, Kate. I…"

All the while tears had started brimming in his eyes as one wet drop slowly rolled its way down his cheek. He was overwhelmed by his own words.

"Rick!" Kate whispered, her right hand cupping his cheek. Her mouth went wide agape as he got down on his knees. He fumbled in his pockets in search for something. She was well aware what he was doing, but still couldn't believe that was actually happening. Now? Today? The lid of the dark blue velvet box opened up to reveal a beautiful cut diamond ring.

"Kate, will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?"

"Oh God, Rick!" Kate exclaimed once more and got down on her knees too. She met his eyes which were now a darker blue than they were by day. The moon was reflecting in his eyes giving them a soft glow. "Why? I…How? I mean…wow…"

Rick chuckled nervously. Kate had never seen him that tense. "Why? Really, Kate?" He joked which brought a smile to her face, despite the tears now welling in her eyes too.

"I don't understand, Rick. I mean, this is so out of the blue."

"I tend to stick to traditions, meaning a proposal is supposed to be a surprise to the woman. So…"

"That's a hell of a surprise!"

Neither said a word for a while, but the sand was starting to get the better out of Rick's knees. That, and he was no longer twenty years old as pain shot through them. He read hesitation in her eyes, and thought back to the conversation they had had earlier. Her worries about their relationship still fresh in her memory, so he needed to fix this.

"Kate, whatever you decide, I want you to know that it's okay. I know I took you off guard, and I'm sorry. But I'm not sorry for asking you, because my love for you is true. My feelings for you won't change, if you say no. A no, will mean to me that you're not ready yet, and I'm okay with that… I…"

Kate reached out for the velvet box to get a closer look at the ring, "It's beautiful, Rick….but…" Rick's had bowed at her negative answer. "But have you thought this through, Rick? Is this something that you want?"

Rick got back up onto his feet and held out a hand for her to take to help her off the ground.

"I've been thinking of this moment ever since we have been together. I bought the ring about two weeks ago. I wanted to propose then, and that's when your father came tumbling back into your life, so I figured it wasn't the best moment to do that. Next I jumped onto the opportunity of us being here. I didn't know when I was going to propose or how. I just wanted to wait for the right moment, and I thought this was perfect enough. Apparently it is not…"

"Rick…" Kate wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, as his went to her waist. "I love you, Rick, but I think I'm not ready yet. I… oh my God, please don't hate me, but I just need some more time."

Her head cradled up against his upper chest as he held her close to him. With the sun gone, the night breeze started to send cold chills down their bodies. They both had their eyes closed, relishing into their sweet embrace as the sea waves tickled against their feet.

"I could never hate you, Kate." Rick whispered into the dark of night, "We should get back home though. You're shivering."

She gazed up at him, studying his features as her heart warmed up with love for the man who once used to be her best friend. He still was, and she could no longer imagine her life without him. He was everything she ever wanted, everything she ever needed. She took one last glance at the ring, her smile never fading before handing it back to Rick. Their hands remained locked around the box until she said,

"When the time is right, Rick. I have faith in you… in us. You will know. We both will know. And this here… was so very sweet, very romantic… and I love you for that. You're amazing. And this, here, has nothing to do with what happened before. I just want us… to be about us… with the prospect of us some day getting engaged and then getting married… No rush, Rick. We have all the time in the world, all right?"

Rick smiled and nodded, then kissed her sweetly. He caught her hand again while their fingers laced on cue and then they wandered back to the beach house, whose lights were the only ones shining across the darkness. Once inside, Rick was preparing a cup of tea for both of them, while Kate was in the master bedroom. Minutes later she walked into the family room dressed in a knit chemise with colorful tiny butterflies, featuring a sweetheart neckline with a ruffle trim and a sexy back cutout. A back hook-and-eye closure completed her girly style sleepwear that left Rick's mouth agape.

"Is something wrong?" Kate still somehow managed to ask him, and it took her a couple of seconds to remember his rapt facial expression. She purposefully swayed her hips left and right as she walked across the room. "Like what you see?" She couldn't help just teasing him the slightest little bit. Over the weeks she had learned how to make him feel uneasy, and she found it absolutely adorable and overall just sexy to render him speechless. He was a man of words after all, and it would bruise his ego.

"Yeah…uhm… here's your tea", Rick stuttered away and handed her one of the cups.

Kate thanked him before taking a sip of the warm vanilla flavored drink. She locked eyes with his for a minute or two until Rick cut the silence.

"You're so beautiful"

The sincerity in his voice made her blush. Rick was pretty much sure that he would never tire of telling her so, even if she were to gain a couple or more pounds. Especially not if she gave him those babies he longed for more than anything in the world. Recently it was hard for him to get that image out of his head, and every now and then Rick came to wonder why that thought wouldn't leave his mind. Was it related to his age? Because he was _in love_ for the first time? He concluded that it must be related to both.

"Thanks for the tea…"

Rick smiled, "You're welcome." He bend down his head and placed a tender kiss to her lips. She caught his lips when he was about to leave her and briefly deepened their embrace. "Hmmm… Kate" Rick hummed.

It was Kate's turn to smile suggestively up at him, "Maybe later… Mind if I read some of my book first?"

He shook his head in the negative and joined her on the couch where they both let themselves be enthralled by their books, until their eyes started feeling heavy. An hour later, they both tumbled their way into bed.

"I'm tired…"

Kate groaned so Rick told her to turn around so he could hug her from behind. They eventually found their comfortable spot in each other's arms. Kate brought Rick's hand to her lips and dropped a loving kiss onto his knuckles before clutching the very same hand up against her chest.

"Night, Rick. I love you", she sighed contently.

"Night, Kate. Sweet dreams, I love you."

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><p><em>tbc<em>

PS. Before you shoot me, yes… the previous chapter Kate said she needed more time, so obviously that would have given Rick a clue to where she was standing, but he was still willing to give it a try. Boy, that man is _in love_… give him a break LOL ;o) Then again, who isn't in love with Kate Beckett? I know I am! =)


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: OMG, It took me a while to write this chapter (2 weeks to be exact), but you are sooo going to love this. At least I hope you do, so please quote your favorite part into your review! Pretty please! =)

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

The next day

After breakfast the two got dressed for their first day out. In the morning they were planning on visiting some of the area whereas the late afternoon could be used to spend some time on the beach. After all they had the amenities of a private beach.

Their little ride up the route 27 to Montauk Point didn't take all too long. Upon their arrival Rick sensed Kate to be slightly nervous at the approach of the famous lighthouse. The red and white building stood tall right on the cliff near the sea. As soon as the car had come to a halt, Kate jumped onto the concrete as the wind from the Atlantic Ocean blew through her hair.

"It's really windy here!" She complained, rubbing her upper arms.

"I told you to put on your jacket! Maybe next time you will listen to me!" Rick retorted teasingly which only earned him a serious eye roll, while he dangled her sweater in front of her nose. At least he had been careful enough to tag it along without her knowledge. It's not the first time he was here and the wind from the sea could be chilling at times even during warm days.

As soon as Kate was wrapped up tightly in her sweater, Rick's hand glided into hers. She smiled up at him knowingly before the couple walked up the path that led to the lighthouse where they paid for the entrance fee.

A steep, narrow and winding iron staircase of hundred and thirty-seven steps was going to bring them up to the top. They made a first stop on the first platform before continuing their ascend until they reached the top where they were graced with a view that literally took their breath away. The 360 degree panoramic view all over the Ocean and the State Park was spectacular.

"Wow, look at those waves!" Kate exclaimed enthusiastically and was just as amazed as Rick still was.

The sea always had something very powerful, he thought and apparently Kate felt the same way about it. With his arms wrapped around her body they enjoyed the magnificent view for a while, before taking a couple of pictures and descending the stairs again.

Next they visited the eight room museum in the old keepers dwelling. Rick was very careful of explaining a large number of the historic photographs, documents and artifacts scattered around the place as Kate carefully listened to his stories. She was very much aware of his author status, and yet his voice always enthralled her, pulled her along with him into another world. The soft and melodious tone in his voice was very soothing. Rick was an amazing story teller. Even the extensive erosion caused by wind and waves over the past two hundred years piqued Kate's interest. The engineers had implemented a new erosion control system, which seemed to have stabilized the problem.

The gift store held many souvenirs of which Rick knew Kate wasn't interested. He thus ended up buying a Montauk Point Lighthouse boxed glass Christmas ornament for his mother and a denim cap for himself even though he heard a long sigh from Kate.

One hour later after their arrival at the Montauk Point State Park, they decided to take a leisurely stroll around the well-kept trails of the park. A trail map they had earlier purchased at the toll booth informed them about the diverse trails.

First though they wanted to head along side a dirt path that led to the stone seashore near the lighthouse. They both removed their shoes to dip their toes into the sea water.

"It's cold!" She exclaimed giddily and yet couldn't refrain herself from jumping with both feet back into the water as she seemed to be fascinated by the waves. Rick laughed to himself and shook his head at her giddiness, as she kept squealing with delight and proclaiming the water to be cold. But she would hear none of his words anyway. They hopped on top of the giant rocks around the bluff, flashing a couple of pictures here and there.

Afterwards they went back to the parking lot so that they could walk at least one of the trails much to Kate's regret who simply wanted to go back to the sea.

"There's more sea for you later this afternoon, Kate." Rick promised at which Kate groaned. "Awww… You're still a child inside, aren't you?"

"Says the man who likes to play taser tag?"

"Hey! You said you liked it too!" Rick defended, as she bit playfully into his finger.

The world stood still around them for the split of a second and their eyes locked. Kate gazed up into his sparkling blue eyes. All she could see was love. The wind was combing through his slightly disheveled hair making him look even more irresistible than usual. Rick wished he could pull her even closer, but she was already as close as can be. He leaned down and lovingly brush his lips against hers, briefly deepening their embrace before letting go of her again.

"I love you, Kate."

She bit the side of her lips timidly, "And I love you."

She slid her hand down his arm and caught his hand in hers as they strolled back to the area with picnic tables and a playground where Kate begged to go on the swings. While on the swings, Rick couldn't help thinking – yet again – how young and carefree she seemed to be compared to him. At least the feeling was there in the pit of his stomach, but that didn't cease Rick loving her more. Quite the opposite. It took some of her pleadings before he reluctantly gave in and pushed her a couple of times, throwing both of them twenty years back in time as they laughed together wholeheartedly, reminiscing a few moments they had spent on a playground back in the days.

"I'm impressed at all the things you still remember!" Kate exclaimed as she jumped off the swing while in motion. Rick caught her by the hips before they shared an innocent kiss and Rick shrugged his shoulders.

"I think it's only natural for me to remember more than you do. I don't remember that much either back to when I was six to eight. The images are all kind of a blur around that age. I was a teenager when I took care of you, so even though it's been a long time ago, I still do remember what it was like looking after you pretty much."

Kate sighed as they resumed on their walk since either of them were hungry. Lunch time it was.

"I like that… sort of…"

"What?"

"Well, us… our background." She looked sideways and flashed him her beautiful smile, "How you still remember our moments spent together. I wish I did too. Some images come back to me when you tell me about them, but I think the images are still a blur to me like you said. It seems familiar, and yet, unknown… surreal… I don't know how to explain it. I just wish I'd remember too."

All Rick managed at that point was a supportive smile.

"I understand that there are people, couples, out there, happily married and all, who spent their childhoods together. As well as puberty and whatever… Longtime friendship ends up into marriage. I like that. But most of them are usually around the same age; they played together, went to school together and so on. Whereas we… Well, okay, we might have played together but only because you were sitting me, so… it's not quite the same. Do you understand?

"I do. Does it still bother you?" Rick wanted to know.

"No, most definitely not. I actually come to think that it is very sweet… you already looked after me back then, and you still do now, except in a different way that is of course…"

"Of course…" Rick chuckled. Her babbling was utterly cute.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I know."

"I have my own job, my own apartment, things with dad are sort of, eh… still bumpy, so who knows? I don't need to be protected and to be looked after."

"Kate!"

"I've learnt how to take care of myself ever since mom passed away and dad and I moved back to Chicago. I didn't have any choice anyway because the only person really caring about me was Nanny who also left a short while later."

"Kate?"

"What?"

"Would you stop that?"

"I'm just saying…"

"I know that. I know all of that, Kate. I know you don't need to be protected. You're a strong, independent woman. You are amazing, but I can't help it if I still want to protect you, because I love you. I want you to be happy and have everything you ever wanted that you never had the chance to have. You deserve it… and so much more…"

Kate's cheek bones slightly turned a darker shade of red at his admission. She mirrored his smile.

"But it feels nice to be missed and to be loved. And protected and cared."

Rick opened the door for her as they crossed over the threshold of Naturally Good Café ®. They took their seats as Kate opted for a _Stuffed Salad Wrap_, which consisted of carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, sesame vinaigrette and sprouts in a whole wheat wrap. Rick preferred the _Tuna Walkabout_, fresh yellow fin tuna salad and sprouts wrapped in whole wheat pita. Once the waitress had taken their order Kate reached her arm across the table to catch his hand.

"It's true what I said before, Rick. I mean I feel always so welcome at your place. Not because I'm your girlfriend now, but, you know… right? To know that there are people out there who still care about you. Who love you as a family…"

"Kate…" Rick sighed in return as the waitress briefly interrupted the couple to serve their dishes. He paused and waited until she was out of ear reach again. He needed to lift Kate's mood again, "You're always welcome… Mother has always thought of you as the daughter she never got the chance to have. You are family to us. You have always been… and soon, I mean, some day, you will definitely be part of our family. Even if we weren't together I'd still consider as such. I'd still want to be there for you…"

Kate nodded her head at his words, "You've been my constant pillar, even while getting your heart crushed."

Rick's eyes went downcast when Kate gazed up. All those months she had felt Rick's eyes on her as their friendship blossomed all over again. Somehow she had read all the signs, but never accepted them fully, probably too afraid to get hurt herself if it weren't true. What if she had admitted having feelings for Rick and he wouldn't have felt the same? It would have ruined everything. She finally had found a certain comfort zone in her life again and she hadn't been willing to give that up.

"And I'm sorry for that, Rick… I really am. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know you'd never do that intentionally, but I'm neither going to deny that it hurt watching you hug, hold hands and kiss _him_. I know what it's like to get your heart crushed, but with you it actually hurt… It hurt, and I guess it's because I've never been so in love as I am with you. Despite the pain, I still put your happiness above my own feelings."

Kate brought his hand up to her lips and placed a chaste kiss onto the knuckles, "I'm in love with you too, Rick. All things worked out for the better, and I'm glad it did. I don't think I could have found any better man but you to…_be my first_." her last three words were hushed.

Rick's eyes remained locked with her emerald greens as he was shortly reminded of their first night together. He wouldn't want to trade this memory for anything in the whole world, even if his life depended on it. Never. Not even over his dead body. He never thought the feeling of being special to be so overwhelming, but it was. Every time she was smiling up at him, he felt special. Every time they kissed or made love, he felt special.

"Well that… and you are so much more to me. You are my love and my life. You are my future…"

They didn't need any further words to express how they felt. All the customers in the diner felt the love between those two. They laughed, smiled, held hands, and shared a strawberry milkshake with two straws. It wasn't so hard to figure that out.

After lunch, the two love birds decided to visit _The Second House_, a 1700's farmhouse – the oldest in Montauk. The house was once used by the shepherds and was now a museum. The land around the house also featured a beautiful rose and herb garden. Everything had been recently renovated and both felt like being thrown back to the olden days. It was rather impressive.

In the early afternoon they also drove up to the harbor, but soon Kate felt tired so they drove back to the beach house. Even on their short ride, Kate managed to catch the shortest of naps. Her eyes fluttered open the moment the car stopped in the driveway. The sun was still shining bright up the clear sky that afternoon. In a matter of minutes both were dressed up for a swim in the sea.

"Don't push me, Rick!" Kate barked as he pulled at her arm, trying to get a grip on her so he could lift her up and send her crashing into the waves. She was fast though and managed to get away from him. After several tries he eventually caught and threw her into the water. "You are aware I'm going to pay you back for that?" She questioned the very second her head came back to surface. They continued teasing, pushing and pulling each other for a while until they collapsed onto the two lounge chairs sitting on patio. Both let out a groan of pure exhaustion, relishing into the relaxation they felt in their muscles just laying there.

"I need something to drink!" Kate proclaimed a longer while later, ready to head inside.

"Stay here!" Rick instructed, "I was going to the bathroom anyway."

She flashed him thankful smile and watched him retreat. Minutes later she heard him rummaging in the kitchen, only to step out again with two bowls of ice-cream and a cold water.

"Oh! Wow! Thank you!" She beamed all over and her smile couldn't get any more contagious.

"You're welcome."

They enjoyed their ice-cream and a little suntan, but soon they both disappeared underneath the shades of the large sun umbrella. Rick decided to get some reading and writing done while Kate soaked up as much of the fresh air she could get. He glanced a couple of times at her, watching her with her eyes closed. He just couldn't help it. Half an hour later he was pretty sure she had drifted off since her mouth was lightly agape and her head slightly tilted onto one side. A couple of times he needed to reposition the sun umbrella due to the slowly setting sun. It would still take an hour for the final sunset but he still felt it was time to prepare dinner. Some time in between – or half way through – Kate wrapped her arms around his waist from behind which startled him.

"Sorry…" Kate quickly apologized.

"No harm done. So how's sleeping beauty doing?"

Kate knew Rick was teasing her, but she still remembered him using that nickname for her when she was younger. She didn't mind that much back then, so she couldn't be all too upset about it nowadays.

"Good, refreshing. What are you so deliciously cooking once again?"

"Shrimp and pine nut spaghetti with sautéed grape tomatoes."

"Hmmm."

"Quick and easy to make, and I am aware that you're looking out for your weight – not that you need it – but it's healthy too, so… We'll just…enjoy this and then I'm going to run a bath for you."

Kate laughed at his thoughtfulness as she helped him dress up the table. But before they could eat she wrapped her arms around his neck to steal a brief kiss from him.

"Thank you!"

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><p><em>tbc<em>

__**Chapter 23 will mostly be M-rated. As usual I'll post whatever I can post here too...**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"No, I said _I _was going to run a bath for you" Rick said, pushing her gently out of the adjoined bathroom. "Just stay here and wait. I'll call you once it's all set and done, all right?"

Kate sighed and gave in. Instead she lay down onto the bed and dove her nose into one of her favorite magazine's. She wasn't quite fond of feminine magazines, but somehow ended up buying a couple of them to go on vacation. She didn't know why since she couldn't care less up V.I.P. gossips. As she flipped through the pages, she came to wonder what Rick was really up to inside the bathroom, but as soon as she heard her name being called softly, she got up and walked across the room.

The room was almost dark, candles were lit all over the place giving it a special glow. The cherry blossom scent of the warm bubbling bath filled her nose right away. It was very inviting, and yet, there was a man now soaking in her bath.

"Rick", she sighed softly, surprised to find him resting in the bathtub instead. "Wha-… ?"

Rick smiled softy up at her and with a reassuring tone he spoke, "Come on, hop in!"

"Rick", she sighed a second time clearly showing her disapproval, but the warm glistening in his eyes did it for her. For some odd reason she couldn't fathom the idea of him watching her undress. It wasn't the first time that she would do so, but this time Rick was going to gaze at her leeringly and that's what troubled her. "Don't look at me like that!"

"You want me to close my eyes?" he joked.

"No!" she fumed although she would have preferred saying yes to his former question. It made her feel creepy the way he was staring at her.

"O-kay… " He exclaimed not sure what to do next. He longed for her to join him in the tub and he was willing to do anything it would take to get her inside with him. "Kate…"

His voice was softer this time and her heart suddenly fluttered at the idea of them enjoying a bath together. The saltiness of the sea on her skin was starting to drive her nauseous and she desperately wanted to get rid of that smell somehow. She threw her tank top over her head and also made quick work of her bikini bottoms discarding both items hazardless on the floor. Kate started slowly off into the tub as Rick motioned for her to sit the other way around so she could settle herself comfortably into his welcoming arms. She hummed sweetly once nestled cozily up against his chest. The water felt warm and yet refreshing.

It took all but a minute for her to relax in his arms, and when Rick was sure, he reached out to grab a hold of the shower sponge in order to dip it into the water before running it smoothly up and down her arms. The water was soothing him just as much as it did her. It had been a long day after all and they both needed this. Besides, this was a very good opportunity for some unique closeness between them. The whole day, Rick had longed to do right this, so he didn't want to waste any extra time since they would be driving back to the city tomorrow afternoon. He wished they could stay longer, but Kate had to work on Monday.

"How's the water for you?"

"Good… oh so very good." Kate whispered with eyes closed, relishing into the feeling of the warm water droplets running down her arms.

Having a very naked Kate Beckett laying in his arms made it very difficult for Rick to resist the temptation of touching her, and doing things to her that were highly naughty. The skin beneath his touch felt even smoother under water; so irresistible to touch. His right hand was holding the sponge now after he had switched a couple of times, so he dared letting his other hand travel higher up her ribcage, to the light swell of her right breast, cupping it softly.

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><p><em>'m pretty sure you get the idea of what comes next… ;o) I hope I'm doing the right cutting here! Please let me know if I didn't do it right so I can do it better next time!<em>

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><p>She instinctively turned onto one side holding onto him. He was there for her. He was holding her as her body gradually came down from her recent high. Her hand fetched the hand who had just pleased her in the most intimate way possible and place an affection kiss against his knuckles, a trait so unique to Kate.<p>

"I love you, Rick." her words were a bare whisper and Rick's heart swell with love at those words. She clutched his hand up against her chest.

He dropped yet another kiss atop of her head, "I love you, Kate. You're amazing."

His right hand was running soothing caresses up and down her spine as they relished into each other. Being together, being this _close_ together. The love either one of them was feeling for the other one was growing stronger every time, with every touch, with every kiss and with every _I love you_.

When Rick felt Kate shift slowly in his arms, he knew it was time to get back out of the water. It was starting to get a little bit chilly in spite of the heat still floating in the air. When her eyes met with his, a smile grew on his face. He cupped her cheek before leaning casually in and kissing her lovingly. The flush on her cheekbones was adorable. Every now and then she would still get uncomfortable around him.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized, getting him confused.

"What for?" he inquired.

"About before… I… I'm sorry…" she stumbled nervously over her words unsure how to express herself correctly without sounding too foolish.

"Please stop apologizing for things that needn't an apology. Never, Kate…"

"But I don't want you to think…"

"I don't think anything… You are wonderful and amazing in every way. How many times do I have to tell you that, huh?"

Rick watched her blush even further, but decided not to comment more about it. Instead he got up, wrapped a towel around his waist, then held out a hand for her to take to help her out of the tub too. He handed her a set of towels so she could wrap one around her body and another around her head to dry her hair.

"Let me do this for you?" Rick offered when both of their bodies had been dried off and Kate was ready to apply lotion onto her skin. The salt of the sea water always made her skin dry so it was in desperate need of a moisturizer.

She didn't refuse and passed him the bottle. He asked her to lay down onto her stomach on the bed, so he could take care of it. Squeezing some milky liquid into the hole of his hand, he rubbed both of them together before massaging the lotion into her shoulder blades, neck and back. A couple of times he added some more because her skin was absorbing the cream quite rapidly. For the next five minutes he continued rubbing lotion all over her body until he was all done. He finished his little massage with a loving and deep kiss onto her lips.

Kate sneaked an arm around his neck as his head lingered above hers while the other hand glided between their bodies.

"Your turn" she whispered seductively.

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><p><em>Now comes the naughty part again ;o)<em>

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><p>Like two lovers they gradually disentangled to cuddle up nicely before drifting into deep slumber, once they wished one another <em>sweet dreams<em> and _I love yous_.

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><p><em>tbc<em>

**A/N: I know the cuts might be weird, but yeah… I'm doing the best I can. Thanks for reading and sorry for the wait! Gonna be on vacation for a while, but as usual I will try to update as soon as I can!**


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